An Affair to Remember
by areufollowingme
Summary: Our favorite CSI Nick & his wife Jules O/C are preparing to go to Nick's friend's wedding in Texas. What seems like a fun and entertaining night, might just come back to bite them...  Warning SMUT and angst to follow...
1. An Affair to Remember

** CHAPTER ONE**

Walking into the living room she stood quietly waiting for him to look away from the computer screen and over at her. She stood a minute before clearing her throat to let him know her presence.

Nick's head turned to look at her and took a double take when he saw her standing in the navy blue dress she swore didn't fit her right.

"Wow, Honey, I thought you said it didn't fit right?" he said tilting his head confused.

"You think it does? I think it makes me look like I have a beer gut," she frowned and turned to the side, "I am going to go back to the gym more often, Texas, because this is ridiculous!" she said looking down and smoothing her hand over her stomach.

"Aw, Sweetheart, you look hot," he said scanning her up and down. "Ya know I am gonna be damn proud to parade you around on my arm at this wedding."

Jules had bought the dress to wear for an upcoming wedding in Texas. One of Nick's college buddies was getting married and Nick was going to be in the wedding. She wanted to look especially pretty since so many of his fraternity brothers would be there. She didn't want to look like a frumpy housewife or a mother with a toddler. Nick always said she could never look like a frumpy housewife; she was too sexy to look anything but hot, he insisted.

Jules squinted her eyes at him suspiciously.

"You really think I look hot? You're just saying that because you love me," she gave him a sad face.

"No, I'm saying it because I mean it, **but**," he paused as she interrupted him.

"I knew it! But what?" she said fearfully.

"**BUT**, I do happen to love you too. And if you do want to take that dress off of you to prove it, I would be more than happy to give you some help," he raised his eyebrow at her.

"Ok, ok, I trust you..." she looked down at her dress again and began to turn toward their bedroom, but stopped and looked back at him, "but if I see pictures from this wedding and I look fat I will hate you forever!" she nodded.

"Honey, you are 100 lbs soaking wet, you can't look fat!" Nick laughed back at her shaking his head.

"You don't know what you're talking about. I was never 100lbs and I haven't been even close since Emma was born," she rolled her eyes and headed off to the bedroom to change.

Nick rolled his eyes knowing it would be fruitless to even try to tell her she had a rockin' body and he wasn't just saying it because he loved her. So, instead of arguing with her, he went back to looking at the computer screen before suddenly he yelling out, "**_Do you want me to help you get that dress off?_**" he smirked to himself as he yelled it.

Jules took off her dress quickly and scurried back to the living room and looked at him with her finger to her mouth.

"Shhh! Do you have to yell? If you wake her up from her nap she will be a beast!" she told him standing only in her bra and underwear.

"Not my little princess!" he smiled. "She's not a beast," he chuckled knowing damn well she is a cranky little thing if she is overtired.

"Yeah, uh huh, of course not," she nodded smiling.

"Hey, I was just asking if you needed help... and since she is sleeping, **well**..." he turned himself around completely in his chair.

"Again? You want me again?" she shook her head at him. "I just gave you some action this morning!"

"Yeah, I know, but I had to hurry before Emma woke up," he reminded her.

Jules smiled at him. She reached behind her and unhooked her bra throwing it onto the couch. Standing before him now in just her panties she knew she was teasing him.

"You dirty, little..." he stood up from his chair and headed toward her.

She smiled wide and her dimples showed which Nick found irresistible.

He reached her within seconds and grabbed her with his arm around her waist and pulled her into him. He moved his other hand to the back of her head and, grabbing a fist full of hair, he pulled her head back exposing her neck. She smirked at his roughness. She **still **had the hots for her man and could never resist him.

Nick began to kiss her neck before climbing his lips to her jaw and cheek before he attacked her lips with passion. He let his hand slide down her waist and grabbed her butt. He loved how her thong gave him such access to her soft, firm ass.

He was hard and it showed how much he was aching for her already. He **still **had the hots for his girl and could never resist her. Their sex life certainly didn't end after they were married nor did it diminish once their daughter was born like all their friends with children said it would.

Nick began walking her backward silently to their bedroom and Jules complied eagerly.

Once inside their room, Nick slowly and quietly closed the door and locked it. Turning around he smiled at her lustfully and scanned her body up and down as she stood next to the foot of the bed.

Nick pulled the drawstring to his navy blue sweatpants without taking his eyes off of her. He gave her a side smile as he pushed them down and off and then kicked them to the wall. Once he was free from his pants, he went straight for her. He immediately grabbed the sides of her waist he lifted her up slightly and tossed her onto the bed.

"Ooooh, you like it rough now, huh, Cowboy?" she purred seductively.

Nick grinned and pulled his shirt up and over his head and tossed it back behind him to the floor. Leaning over her he began pulling down her panties with his face close to them as he slid them down. Without warning he spread her legs a little wider and she gasped when his tongue licked her heated clit. She closed her eyes as the sensation sent tingles up her body and she moaned softly.

He loved hearing her moan and it made him want to hear it more. He stuck his finger inside her and slid it back and forth continuing to lick the top of her clit with just the right speed. He could feel her legs quiver on the sides of his face and he knew he was hitting just the right spot. Jules swirled her fingers through his hair and he began to pick up his pace licking and fingering her with seductive motion. Nick was enjoying pleasuring her just as much as she was enjoying him doing it.

"Oh God, Texas, you are driving me crazy!" she whispered, "you better get up here and fuck my brains out!" she giggled as she panted out the words.

Nick continued to lick her ferociously letting his tongue slide up and down making her squirm and moan. When he jammed another finger inside her tight wet pussy she could no longer take the intensity of the pleasure.

"Please, Nicky, please," she panted, "please...I want you to feel how intense my orgasm is going to be with you inside me...please, Babe..." she begged him as she gasped for air.

Nick was so hard and hot he couldn't wait to feel her tighten on his aching cock, so he removed his fingers from her and licked over her clit as he moved up to her stomach until he reached her hardened nipples. He licked it back and forth with the tip of his tongue before he took it completely into his mouth and sucked it hard; Jules groaned and shivered. As he buried his face into her neck and began sucking it roughly he pushed himself inside her with force making her arch her back and moan. As he began to thrust himself deeper, Jules reached up and grabbed a pillow and quickly threw it over her face to muffle her cries of pleasure. Nick could feel her walls clamping down on his rock hard dick and he let out a primal grunts with each thrust before he felt himself cum inside her with passion and force. He continued to move back and force inside her as he rode out their orgasms in sync.

Finally he pulled out of her and reached over pulling the pillow off her face. He held her face with both hands and kissed before letting himself fall completely on top of her. His weight was heavy as he lay there paralyzed but she loved how he felt covering her naked body with his. Finally, after a few minutes of stillness she breathed out a labored whisper.

"Texas, I love you, baby, but you're crushing me."

"Sorry, but..." he mumbled without looking her, "I can't move yet..." and he chuckled into the side of her hair.

They laughed quietly and Jules stroked his back lovingly. Nick propped himself over her as she continued to rub his back.

"Whoa, wow that was awesome..." he said with his voice deep and raspy.

"Nicky, I don't want to know the answer to this, really I don't, but..." she whispered, "my God where did you learn to do that so incredibly?"

Nick laughed. "Glad you enjoyed it" was all that he told her.

"Okay, up, up, Handsome," she began to scoot out from under him. "Your daughter will be wobbling around looking for us soon and we better be dressed," she smiled.

Nick lifted himself up and off of her and began looking for his sweatpants.

Jules stood up, still weak in the knees.

"I'm going to shower, just listen for her, okay?" she said walking naked to the door.

"Yeah, but then I am gonna go to bed. I gotta sleep before I go in tonight," he admitted.

"I won't take long," she told him unlocking the bedroom door. Looking back she asked him, "What were you looking at on the computer?"

"Oh yeah! I booked us a room the night of the wedding so we don't have to worry about drinking and getting home," he said excitedly. "I figured since Emma will be with my mother, we might as well enjoy a kid free night...and of course then I can have my way with you without you worrying about my parent's hearing us from down the hall," he laughed.

"Sounds good to me," she smiled wide once again showing her dimples before turning and walking to the bathroom.

He smiled a bright smile that stayed on his face long after she left the room.

He couldn't wait to go back home to Texas with his wife and baby.

Nick had everything he could ever want in life and he was genuinely happy.


	2. Back at the Ranch

_**Back at the Ranch**_

The smile on his face as he drove down the long driveway was priceless. She couldn't help staring at him; his expression was just too adorable not to watch. As their rented car bounced roughly on the gravel, Nick's childhood home came into view and he smiled wide and brightly. He was so thrilled to be back home.

Nick's mother could hear the car coming down the driveway and she yelled out to her husband who was sitting in the den reading.

"Bill! Here they come! They're here!" she yelled as she dried her hands on a dish towel, threw it on top of the counter and scurried toward the front door.

Bill Stokes placed his book down on the end table next to his chair and hopped out of his seat. He followed his wife out onto the front porch and the two of them stood together and watched as their youngest son and his family pulled in.

Nick looked over at Jules and smiled brightly at her. Jules eyes danced as she smiled back. She loved being at the Stokes' ranch almost as much as he did. She adored Nick's family; it was the large family she never had and she was grateful for all of them.

Nick reached back over the seat and tickled his little girl's leg.

"We're here, Sweet Pea," he told her, "You wanna go see Grandma and Grandpa?"

Emma stared at her father and furrowed her brow.

"No!" she said and her little bottom lip turned down slightly.

"What? Why not?" he turned his body around a bit more to look at her. Jules did the same.

"No, no, no!" Emma shook her head back and forth protesting.

"Emma," Jules said, "Mommy will hold you. We're not dropping you off," Jules soothed her daughter's fears. She knew her baby was just getting nervous that they might be leaving. Emma always got clingy whenever she first arrived anywhere.

"Oh, no, no, Sweetheart, yeah, we're coming too!" Nick explained. "I want to see my Mommy and Daddy, too, okay?"

Emma thought for a minute, her furrowed brow smoothed and she smiled slightly. Nick smiled back at her and Jules got out and opened the back door to get her.

"_**Poncho**_!" the nickname echoed in the air.

Nick could hear his father yelling from the porch and he laughed at him. Nick popped open the trunk and got out of the car quickly.

"_**Cisco**_!" Nick yelled back to his dad as he walked to the back of the jeep, reached into the trunk, grabbed a suitcase, and placed it on the ground by his feet.

"How are you, Son?" Bill Stokes said coming up alongside him wrapping his arm around Nick's shoulder.

Jillian Stokes hurried over to Jules and Emma. Emma clung tightly to her mother's shoulders.

"Hi, Ladies!" Jillian said as she leaned in and kissed them both. "How was your flight?"

"Hi, Mom," Jules smiled happily. She never had anyone to call "mom" before she married Nick and she loved hearing that name flow from her lips.

"The flight was great! Emma slept almost the whole time...thank God!" she rolled her eyes.

Jillian smiled and nodded understanding how it is to travel with children since she raised seven of her own.

"Well hello there, Miss Emma!" Nick's mother said as she stroked the cheek of her granddaughter with the back of her hand.

"Say 'hello Grandma'!" Jules whispered into her daughter's ear.

Emma whispered "Say hello grandma" at her grandmother and smiled sheepishly.

Jillian Stokes held out her arms and Emma went into them. She squeezed her grand baby tightly and kissed her all over her face making Emma laugh.

Walking over to her son with Emma on her hip, Nick wrapped his arms around both his mother and daughter and hugged them tightly.

"**You squishten me**," Emma yelled. "**You squishten too tight on me**!" she tried to push her father away.

Nick didn't care, he was so happy to be hugging his mom... and his little girl in the mix was an added bonus.

Before dinner, Jules decided to go upstairs and put some things away. As she walked up the stairs with her dress and Nick's tuxedo slung over her arm, she stopped at each picture that hung on the wall. She loved looking at them and she would do this ritual every time she came there. She looked at Tara's graduation picture, a family portrait, and a picture of John in a suit. She smiled at the picture of Laurie and Lynn on swings. Jules went up a step and looked at a picture of Brian and John as children on horses. She glanced at Matthew and another of all six of them together, but the one she always spent the most time looking at was the picture of Nicky as a baby smiling happily. It had been taken at a studio and it was absolutely heartwarming. She loved it. She loved it so much she always stopped to look at it no matter how many times she went up and down the stairs.

Jules was hanging Nick's tuxedo up in the closet of Nick's old bedroom when he walked into the room carrying two large suitcases. She turned around slightly and smiled.

"Hey, Cowboy."

"Hey yourself, Sunshine," he said back at her and headed for the bed.

"Is Emma with your parents?" she said as she smoothed the plastic over his tuxedo making sure it wasn't being squashed before closing the closet door and turning toward her husband.

She watched as he put the suitcases down at the foot of the bed and walked over to her.

"Yep," Nick wrapped his arms around her waist and rubbed his nose on hers before he began to kiss her lips. Jules kissed him back and they let themselves enjoy their mouths for a minute before pulling away.

Nick smirked at her devilishly.

"Can we do it in my old bed while we have the chance?" he tried not to laugh.

"Oh shhhuttttt up, Nicky," she said slapping his shoulder and rolling her eyes at him.

Nick laughed loudly.

"But.." she teased, "you can tomorrow night in that hotel room you got us," she raised her eyebrow.

"Um, why not tonight too?" he said seriously.

"Oh God, here we go," she shook her head.

"Yeah but, Sunshine, you know how much it turns me on to do it in **this** room!" he whined.

"We'll see, Texas, we'll see," she gave him a side smile before leaning in and kissing him quickly on his soft lips and moving away from him.

Nick followed her out of the bedroom and they both headed downstairs for dinner. Jules stopped at Nick's baby picture on the way down and smiled.

Later that evening, after Jules and Nick's mother cleared off the table and put everything away, they walked into the living room silently together.

Nick had fallen asleep on the couch with Emma asleep snuggled alongside him. Jules and Jillian Stokes stood together looking down at them and they both glanced over at each other smiling.

"My God she looks like Nicholas," Jillian whispered.

"Yea, I think so too," Jules smiled proudly.

"I can see a lot of you in her, especially in the eyes and of course her dimples, but she reminds me so much of Nicky when he was that age," Jillian spoke with fond memories.

Jules smiled at her mother in law with pride.

"I don't want to wake them," Jules admitted, "they're both so exhausted from the trip."

"You think we should leave them here?" Nick's mother wondered aloud.

"What do you think?"

"Well, it's not like Nicky hasn't slept down here many a night!" Jill told her.

Jules watched as her mother in law placed a blanket over her son and granddaughter and it touched her heart.

She had everything she ever wanted, right down to a woman she could call "Mom."

Her life was complete with them and she never felt happier in her life.


	3. Rise and Shine

_**Rise and Shine**_

Crawling out from the sheets, she decided to go downstairs to put a pot of coffee on. It was very early, much earlier than she was used to getting up, and when she saw that her in-law's bedroom door was still closed she was sure she would be the first one up and about. She figured Nick and Emma were still asleep on the couch because she hadn't heard any noises, so she threw on her pale pink, cotton, robe and made her way downstairs.

Jules had slept comfortably in Nick's old bedroom. She didn't even notice he wasn't asleep next to her because she swore she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Jules and Jillian Stokes had left Emma and Nick asleep on the couch when they went to bed. They looked much too peaceful to move either of them. As long as they were comfortable, then Jules was happy.

She peeked into the living room in hopes to see them sleeping and snuggled up together, but they weren't in there at all. Turning quietly from the room, Jules crept into the kitchen and saw her daughter sitting on the counter next to Nick who was standing and leaning over a bowl of cereal. She smiled inwardly at how cute they looked together. Emma with her hair all over the place and her bare feet dangling down from the counter. And Nick managing to still look sexy even though he was just wearing navy blue sweatpants and a white Dallas Cowboys T-shirt. She wanted to walk up behind him and bury her face into his back to smell the fabric softener mixed with his scent; she was addicted to it.

Instead, Jules stopped in the doorway and leaned against the door frame. She watched as Nick took a bite of cereal and then grabbed another smaller spoonful and held it up for Emma. She opened her mouth wide and took a bite too.

"You took aw da raisins outta it, Dad?" she tilted her messy haired head and squinted her eyes at her father.

"What?" Nick looked over at her surprised, "No! No, I did not!" he said before putting another bite in his mouth.

"Why I didn't get raisins in dat?" she frowned suspiciously at him.

Nick chuckled at her.

"I made sure I gave **YOU** all the raisins, Em!" he defended himself.

Emma opened her mouth for another bite. She smiled as she chewed it and tried to tell him there were raisins in it this time but her mouth was too full.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, there were raisins this time, that's what you're trying to tell me, I know," he laughed and wiped her mouth with the back of his hand.

Jules loved watching the two of them eating breakfast together and bickering over who got more raisins in their cereal. They were absolutely adorable together. Jules continued to watch without being detected.

"Do you want anymore, Em?" Nick asked holding up the cereal box with one hand while the other arm draped over the front of his daughter to ensure she wouldn't fall..

"Little mo, little, okay?" she said holding up her finger in thumb showing she wanted just a little more.

Nick nodded, "a little bit more, okay," he repeated and poured some more in the bowl.

"I gotta get the milk, Sweet Pea, so come here. We don't want you to fall off now do we?" he told her scooping her up off the counter to walk over to the refrigerator. As Nick turned, both he and Emma spotted Jules watching them.

"Mommy! Hi, Mommy!" her daughter said loudly.

"Good morning, Baby," Jules eyes happily danced as she said it. "Why are you guys up so early?" she asked.

"Ask your daughter," Nick gave her a side smile and raised his eyebrows before looking over at Emma.

"She woke you?" Jules smirked.

"Nailed me right in the face with her arm," he shook his head at his daughter who was dangling from his hip. "Right, Munchkin? You tried to give Daddy a black eye?"

Emma didn't answer him she just tried to wiggle out of his arms so she could get to her mother. Jules walked closer and took her from Nick but leaned in to give her husband a kiss "Good morning" before grabbing her.

"You woke Daddy up, huh, pretty girl?" she smiled at her.

Emma smiled sheepishly back at her.

Nick opened the refrigerator for the milk and told Jules he made coffee if she wanted a cup. He reached back into the fridge and held up a bottle of French Vanilla creamer.

Jules smiled wide.

"I love your mother, ya know that?" she said excited that Jillian Stokes remembered to buy her the French Vanilla creamer she likes in her coffee.

"Mmm hmm," Nick answered and brought both the creamer and the milk back to the counter. Pouring milk into the cereal bowl he told Emma it was ready now.

"You know she can eat by herself, Nicky," Jules said, "She is playing you like a fiddle!"

Nick turned, looked directly at his wife and daughter, and smiled,

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Darlin'."

He reached over and took his daughter out of Jules' arms, placing her back on the counter next to him.

And the two of them went back to sharing a bowl of cereal.


	4. Bow Tie

_**Bow Tie**_

Fixing his bow tie and glancing at himself in the hall mirror one last time, Nick nodded to himself believing he may have finally gotten his tie straight. Straightening the cuffs, he turned from the mirror and walked toward his old bedroom.

"_Oh..My..God_," Jules said while scanning Nick up and down as he walked in wearing his tuxedo.

"What? My tie crooked?" he asked in his southern accent, not realizing she was referring to how hot he looked.

"Ohhh no, that's not what..._**YOU look freakin' HOT**_!" she said seriously getting turned on by how good he looks in a tux.

"Yeah?" Nick smiled wide.

"Yeah," she said walking over to him.

"You want me?" Nick said jokingly.

"Wow, uh huh!" she said completely enamored by him.

"If you're serious...I'm game," he smirked.

Nick was always game for sex.

"My mother and father are with Emma outside in the field," he said grabbing her by the waist and nuzzling her hair.

"Yeah but... you're all dressed!"

"Yeah but... you're not!" he said staring at her in her matching bra and panties and letting his hand fall down to her ass.

Jules didn't waste a moment. She wasn't kidding when she told him he was hot. She meant it, because although she always thought he was gorgeous, in that tuxedo... he was **incredibly gorgeous**. She pulled away from him and closed the bedroom door completely and made sure she locked it. Turning around she saw him standing right in front of her.

"We gotta be quick though, in case they come back," she said as she pulled him closer by the belt and began to unbuckle it. His tuxedo pants fell fast to the floor.

Nick reached down and yanked off his boxers briefs and kicked them to the floor.

"Whatever, come here!" he grumbled and grabbed her by the hips roughly. Jules could see he was hot and wild with passion.

It made Nick crazy when she was up for unexpected sex. He could never get enough of her and when she came on to him, it made it even hotter for him.

He lifted Jules up and she laughed at how turned on and horny he was for her. He brought her over to the side of his boyhood bed and threw her roughly on top of it. Pulling off his tuxedo jacket he folded it in half and tossed it over the pillows that rested at the top of the bed. Before she had a chance to even see it coming, Nick flipped her over onto her stomach like a criminal he was about to cuff, and pulled her by the legs back to him.

Without hesitation or saying a word Nick dropped to his knees, and while pulling her thong string to the side, he spread open her legs farther and slid his tongue from the top of her clit dragging it back down before sticking his tongue inside of her, he was loving how she tasted in his mouth. Jules gasped at the sudden sensation she was not expecting and grabbed the navy blue bedspread into her fists. Nick continued to lick her ferociously and fuck her with his tongue before he stuck his two middle fingers inside her rubbed her clit with his index finger making her cum instantly. She buried her face hard into his bed, held her breath and shook and trembled from the explosion. He smirked proudly at how quickly he got her off.

Nick stood up, pulled her by hips upward bringing her to her knees with her face pushed into his mattress. He pushed himself inside her still feeling her lasting orgasm on his cock. Now with her ass in the air, he pounded into her warm pussy lustfully while he gripped each side of her hips. Jules wanted to scream out with pleasure as her incredibly gorgeous man had his way with her. She could feel the tops of his tuxedo shirt dragging back and forth over her ass and it was only adding to her sensations.

Nick grunted each time he slammed her hard and, as he felt his own orgasm arriving, he started to whisper, "Oh yea, you wanted me to fuck you hard, didn't you...oh fuck yea...ohhhh..." and he jammed inside her hard one last time before he came inside her with an intense rush. Nick knew he just made her cum again from the feeling of her walls clamping down on his cock. As it squeezed him tightly, Nick slumped over her, holding himself up with his hands on the bed, and he slowed his thrusting down until he finally pulled out of her slowly.

The both of them were panting like rabid dogs until Nick startled to chuckle.

"I just made you cum twice within minutes didn't I?" he said proudly.

"Uh huh," Jules muffled out weakly with her face still smashed into the bed.

"Oh, I am good," he laughed a little louder.

Jules rolled over, propped herself on her elbows and looked back at him.

"No...You're AMAZZZZINGGGG!" she smiled. "Ab..so...lute...lllly amazing," she said again and flopped to her back deliriously.

"Glad I could be of service, Ma`dam," he laughed shaking his bow tie back and forth with pretend arrogance.

Jules laughed and Nick grabbed his tuxedo jacket off the bed, throwing it over his arm.

"Will you do that to me again tonight?" she said and bit her bottom lip seductively.

"I'd be happy to," Nick leaned in and whispered in her ear, "...I'd be happy to."

Jules smiled and her eyes sparkled as she hopped up on her knees in front of him. She grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him softly. She could taste herself on his lips.

"I love you, Texas, you know that?" she whispered as she straightened out his bow tie.

"Of course I know that, Sunshine," he smiled, "I love you too."


	5. Back to You

_**Back to You**_

Waiting at the bottom of the stairs holding a small suitcase, Nick yelled up the stairs with annoyance.

"**COME ONNNN, BABE!**" he groaned sounding pissed off.

Jillian Stokes walked into the living room.

"Oh, Nicholas, please! Do you have to yell like that? I mean really!" she frowned.

"Ma, we gotta go, and she is taking forever! We have to..." Nick started to complain but his sentence was cut short when he looked up and saw his wife walk down stairs in a beautiful blue dress that he could see fit her perfectly.

"I'm ready, I'm ready, relax!" she said walking down the stairs, only stopping for a brief second to look over at Nick's baby picture hanging on the wall.

"Wow, Honey, you look...you are absolutely stunning," he stuttered scanning her up and down.

"Ohhh, you look beautiful, Jules! I love your dress!" Nick's mother complimented.

"Really?" Jules paused on the steps, "You don't think it puffs up right over..."

"_**OH PLEASE! Don't start, Jules!**_" Nick said loudly getting annoyed again.

"No, no, it is gorgeous!" Jillian replied ignoring her son.

Bill Stokes walked in with his granddaughter in his arms.

"What is all the yelling going on in here?" he asked.

"What all yellin' goin' on here?" Emma repeated her grandfather.

"Gimme a kiss, Munchkin, we have to go," Nick said leaning in, and pulling Emma's head to his lips he kissed his daughter hard on the forehead. "I love you, Princess, you know that, right?" he told her.

Emma stared at him.

Jules leaned in and held her daughter's face with both hands.

"You be a good girl for Gramma and Grampa, okay? Daddy and I will see you soon," she explained and kissed her on both of her cheeks.

Jules was about to turn when she spotted the lip.

Emma's bottom lip began to turn down and quiver.

Jules rolled her head back and looking up at the ceiling she groaned.

"**Niiiiiicckkk**," she said letting him know a flood gate was about to open.

* * *

As the two of them drove to the church, Jules could feel the headache creeping in and she began to rub her temples.

Nick looks over at her and then back at the road ahead of him.

"Headache?"

"Yeah, little bit," she said quietly.

"Because of Emma? She's fine now, Honey," he said glancing back at her.

"Yeah, I know. I know."

There was silence before Nick suddenly spoke.

"You know where to meet me after the church, right?" he asked, "Once we get to the church I'm going with the wedding party and after the ceremony I am going in the limo with them. You're okay with that?" he tilted his head unsure.

"Yes, Nicky, of course. And yes, I know how to get there. You told me five hundred time," she smirked.

"Okay, okay, I just don't want you getting lost, Sunshine," he confessed.

"Don't worry, Handsome, don't you know I will always find my way back to you?" she smiled.

"I'm counting on that, Baby," he said and gave her a sweet wink. "...**always**."

* * *

The church was fluttering with people but she didn't know anyone. Nick gave her hand a squeeze of reassurance.

As everyone walked through the church doors, Jules smirked a bit at how thick everyone's accents were. She wondered if Nick's was once that heavy.

"_**Oh my Gawd! Well look who's here! Nicky Stokes**_!" a loud, obnoxious, screech came from a tall blond with big breasts. Jules was sure they were fake.

Nick turned around and was greeted boisterously by one of the bridesmaids.

"When I heard you were gonna be in the wedding party, I insisted we walk together. Kinda like old times, huh, Nicky?" she gushed before looking over at Jules, giving her a quick scan and then a fake smile.

Jules wondered if this girl had just taken note that her blue dress didn't fit right, and made her look like she had a beer gut. "_Damn, I knew I should have worn a different dress_," she sighed to herself.

"Hey, Brooke! How are ya, Darlin'?" Nick said smiling wide and giving her a kiss on the cheek and a big hug.

Jules held back the look of surprise when he called her "Darlin'". She was wasn't used to Nick calling anyone "Darlin'" except her and sometimes their daughter.

"Brooke, this is my wife, Jules," he introduced her as he put his arm around Jules' waist.

"Jules, this is Brooke Latham, we went to school together," he explained.

Jules noticed she gave Nick a slight glare that he didn't seem to notice. Brooke obviously wanted to be referred to as more than someone he went to school with. Nick may not have picked up on it, but Jules did.

"Hi ya, Honey" she said overly sweetly in her heavy southern drawl. "Ohhhh Nicky and I go way back, ain't that right, Nicky?" she smirked at him mysteriously.

"Who else is here?" Nick asked completely oblivious to Brooke's question.

"Just about everyone but Rob and Sherri," she answered, "We are all in the back room, you can follow me," she told him grabbing his hand.

Nick looked at Jules.

Jules looked back at Nick and gave him a reassuring smile.

She didn't want him to feel like a babysitter. She wanted him to have fun with his old friends…even this little bimbo who was dripping all over him. She just wished, at that moment, that she had brought Trista or Brett along with her.

"I will go sit down and I'll meet you later, don't worry," she smiled.

Nick looked at her. He wished, at that moment, that she could come with him. He wanted her there. He knew his friends would like her too. It just felt weird leaving her behind but he knew he was being ridiculous. Jules could handle herself just fine.

"Come on, come on, let's go, Nicky, time's ticking!" Brooke pulled Nick's hand as she spoke unnecessarily loud.

Nick leaned over, gave Jules a quick peck on the lips and allowed himself to be yanked away hurriedly.

Jules clutched her purse and looked around the church and spotted an empty pew. She shuffled inside and sat down alone. She took out her cell phone, made sure it was on vibrate so that it wouldn't dare ring while the service was going on. That was all she needed; she would be so embarrassed.

She was about to put it back in her purse when she decided to text Trista. She was just typing in that she was at the church and bored when she felt someone slide in next to her.

"Hi there, you're Nicky's wife Jules, right?" a pretty, brown-haired, girl asked.

"Yes, hi," Jules smiled brightly.

This girl looked familiar and certainly wasn't as loud and overbearing as Brooke.

"I'm Amber, do you remember me?" she introduced herself. "I'm Ship's wife," she explained.

"Oh, right, yes! Hello!" she hadn't recognized her at first. Mike Shipatelli and Amber Martin were close college friends of Nick's. She remembered meeting them at her's and Nick's wedding reception but that night was so crazy she never got to spend much time with them.

"How have you and Nick been?" she asked.

"Oh, good! We're good. We have a daughter now, you know, right?" Jules smiled.

"Yes! Ship told me; she must be getting so big. Did you bring her?" she asked.

"Not to the wedding, but she's with Nick's parents now," Jules answered.

Amber put her hand on her pregnant belly and smiled.

"I guess Nick told you we're expecting one too!" Amber beamed.

"Yes! That is so wonderful! Congratulations!" Jules replied.

"Thank you," she smiled back at Jules.

"You're due soon, right?" Jules asked.

"Yep, next month. That's actually why I'm not in this wedding. We weren't sure about the timing and let's face it, I didn't want to ruin the pictures!"

"Oh stop! You look beautiful!" Jules assured her.

"Well, if it weren't for being so pregnant, I would have been right up there with the old crew," she smiled slightly, looking disappointed. "Well, at least Ship will be partnered with Anna's sister…so it will be even anyway."

Jules gave her a sympathetic closed mouth smile.

"It's funny how we all married each other…well, almost," she quickly corrected her statement.

"What do you mean?" Jules inquired.

"Oh, just that the old crew…you know, we were all couples," she told her. "It was always me and Ship, Josh and Anna, Rob and Sherri, and Brooke and well…," she stuttered the names of the last couple, "…and Nick."

"It's really amazing that you all stayed together…that's not too common. That's really nice," Jules smiled completely unfazed that Brooke and Nick were once part of that "couple crew".

"Yeah, you're right," Amber smiled.

Jules could see Amber was definitely in love with her "Ship" and Jules understood that feeling completely.

"Josh and Anna are the last to tie the knot, actually," Amber said.

"Oh yeah?" Jules nodded.

"Yeah, well, except for Brooke…we don't think she ever did get over…," Amber paused shocked at the words that nearly left her lips.

Jules looked at her, waiting for her to finish her sentence. When she realized that Amber was stumbling her words, she finished the sentence for her.

"Nick?" Jules asked unsure.

"Um, well, Brooke is Brooke, ya know, she is…well, she is…well, Brooke is Brooke," Amber was a stuttering mess.

Jules could feel how badly Amber wanted to shrink into oblivion.

Jules leaned over and touched Amber's hand.

"It's okay, Amber, really, it's your history together. I get it," Jules smiled at her trying to ease her nervousness.

Amber looked relieved. She didn't want to say the wrong thing to Nick's wife but everything that seemed to come out of her mouth sounded wrong. She was grateful that Jules let her know she wasn't jealous or insecure with Nick's past.

"I'm sorry, I just can't seem to get my brain to work well with my mouth lately," Amber smiled and rubbed her belly again.

"It's fine, Amber, really. I actually feel a little bad for Brooke if she can't move on from the past," Jules said sincerely.

"Well, Brooke is used to getting what Brooke wants and when Nicky made it clear she wasn't what he wanted, she dug her heels in for the fight," Amber paused, "She lost."

"Well, I can understand wanting to fight for Nick, actually," Jules smirked, "I can't blame her there! He's an amazing guy."

"Yeah, but, when it's over it's over and ya gotta know when to walk away," Amber turned toward Jules, "We all knew Nicky wasn't gonna stay in Texas, he had bigger plans, he always said it."

Jules listened.

"And when we all graduated and Nick was offered the job in Las Vegas we were all so happy for him because it was exactly what he wanted," she explained, "But Brooke, whew, Brooke was furious. She even followed him there!" Amber shook her head with disgust at how pathetic she thought Brooke looked. "She said it wasn't because of Nicky. She said it was because she got an offer as a lead showgirl but…I don't know. Ship says she just lost her marbles."

"Brooke was a showgirl in Vegas?" Jules said surprised.

Amber nodded and wondered if she should be telling Nick's wife any of this.

"Yeah, but she finally came back after things didn't work out for her... in every area of her life," she paused, "But, she pretends that she came back because she didn't want to be a dancer anymore and she was tired of Las Vegas," Amber told Jules. "Ship and Josh are convinced she didn't make it as a dancer and when Nicky didn't want anything to do with her, it sent her into a tailspin. I don't know if that is true or not but she is back and she is doing fine, I guess. She seems to be fine," Amber nodded.

Jules found her story very interesting. Nick never even mentioned Brooke being his girlfriend before. She had heard about the bunch of them, and even heard Brooke's name when he talked about them, but Jules had no idea that Brooke was in love with him. Not that Jules cared much, she simply just found the story interesting and it made the time go faster.

Amber and Jules' conversation was cut short when the music began to bellow out from the church organ.

Amber and Jules stood up at the same time...and the church doors opened.


	6. Just Like Yesterday

_**Just Like Yesterday**_

* * *

The music played loudly as the church doors opened and the wedding party began their walk down the aisle. Jules and Amber both smiled wide when they saw their husbands. Amber gave her husband a small wave and he winked at her. Jules smiled at how gorgeous Nick looked as he followed close behind.

Brooke Latham clung to Nick's arm as they made their way to the altar and her demeanor made Jules wonder if Brooke could possibly still be in love with Nick even after all these years. It would be truly sad if she was since it would never happen for her. She was a beautiful girl, Jules thought, she should really move on.

As the bridesmaids and groomsmen walked past, the music made Jules think about her own wedding to Nick. She had never felt more beautiful than the day she married him. That day was everything she had ever dreamed of. She could still see Nick standing at the end of the long aisle, at the alter, waiting for her. He was so handsome and her heart still leaped at the memory, even now.

* * *

Nick barely noticed how tightly Brooke was clutching his arm, because he was too deep in thought about the way he felt on the day of his own wedding. He remembered it like it was yesterday. No one could have prepared him for what he would see behind the church doors. He knew she would be beautiful, but when those enormous wooden doors were pulled open and he saw her standing there at the top of the aisle, she actually took his breath away. She was stunning. She was even more beautiful than anything he could ever have imagined. Everything about her was angelic.

Nick's mouth fell open when he saw her and he felt Brian nudge him in the side.

"Your mouth just fell open, Nicky!" he whispered to his kid brother. "_Close your mouth_."

Nick quickly snapped his mouth closed but had to try hard to keep it from hanging back open. He couldn't help it. He was star struck. Seeing her in her gown, her long train flowing behind her and her face absolutely glowing under her veil, made him weak in the knees.

He could hardly stand it, as he stood at the end of the aisle waiting for her to take his hand, be his wife, and share his last name forever, Nick wondered what he did to deserve the angel heading toward him. He never thought he believed in love until he met her. He never thought loving anyone was worth the risk. But, from the minute he took her into his arms, he never wanted to let her go. He didn't want to ever live without her.

* * *

As the organ played the Wedding March in preparation for the bride, Jules inwardly smiled remembering how happy she was to become Mrs. Stokes. She remembered it like it was yesterday. She thought back to the way Warrick looked at her before the church doors opened.

"If you want to bail out, Baby Girl, now's the time," Warrick smirked.

"Not a chance, big brother, not a chance," she smirked back at him.

"You really are beautiful, ya know that?" he told her.

Jules smiled up at him.

"And I want you to know, I have always thanked God for sending you to me," Warrick's eyes brimmed a bit with tears.

"You have? I thought you always said I was a pest," she joked to lighten the mood.

"You were, but I absolutely loved you anyway," he smiled. "You and Nick…it's a good thing. I couldn't be happier. But just remember, Baby Girl…" he paused.

"What?" she whispered as the doors were about to open.

"_I loved you first_," he kissed her forehead and lowered her veil.

Before Jules could answer him, the large wooden doors were pulled opened by the usher, her best friend Brett, who was dressed sharply in a tuxedo. She could now see her bridesmaids smiling as they stood waiting at one side of the altar. Trista, the Maid of Honor, was first, followed by Natalie, Lynn, Laurie, and Tara. Jules eyes trailed over to the other side where Nick's Groomsmen stood proudly. Nick's brothers Brian, John, and Matt all stood by his side, along with his friend Michael Shipetelli and an empty space for Warrick to join in once he gave the bride away.

But it was when Jules spotted the groom that she felt her heart start to pound. There he stood looking back at her…waiting for **her**. As Nick stood patiently at the alter, she could see his eyes focused completely on her. As she watched him smile, Jules felt her lip quiver, not because she was sad or afraid, but because she had never been happier in her entire life and the emotions were nearly too intense to hold back. She tightened her grip on Warrick's hand and he whispered over to her that she was doing just fine.

With words of encouragement from her brother, Jules took a deep breath and began her walk down the aisle toward the man of her dreams.

* * *

Nick felt his palms sweating as she began walking down the aisle toward him. He was afraid he was only dreaming, so he closed his eyes for a minute and hoped she would still be there when he opened them again. She was. Except this time she was closer. He looked at Warrick who held his sister's arm tightly, and Warrick looked back at him. Nick knew it was hard for him to give away his "Baby Girl" but he was doing a fine job escorting her to him. Nick could never be more grateful.

Both Nick and Jules were startled out of their memories by the blaring organ declaring the Josh's bride's arrival. As everyone looked to the back of the church to see the bride enter, Jules looked to the front instead and locked eyes with Nick who was looking back at her. They smiled sweetly at each other as if they knew what the other was thinking. Jules mouthed a tender "I love you" and he gave her a loving wink in return.

They knew. They both were thinking about the day of their own wedding.

They both were remembering how they felt on the first day of the rest of their lives…


	7. A Good Time

_**A Good Time**_

* * *

The valet handed Jules her ticket and she smiled graciously at him. Instead of heading directly inside, she sat on the bench waiting for Nick. Jules was happy to see Amber arrive. She felt relieved she had someone to at least talk to while she waited.

Nick looked at his watch wondering how long the tiresome pictures would take, it seemed like they were going on forever. He didn't want Jules waiting for him alone but he had hopes that Amber would be there to keep her company.

Amber spotted the limo first as it pulled into the driveway.

"Oh good, they are here," she smiled happily.

"Yep, we finally get to have our handsome husbands back at our sides," Jules laughed.

"Ya got that right," Amber laughed back.

Nick smiled wide when he spotted Jules in the front waiting for him. Brooke, who was sitting next to him in the limousine, rolled her eyes discretely when she saw him smile. She couldn't believe how enamored he was with that girl. It angered her to think about him rejecting her. It pissed her off that he never looked at her that way, even when they were dating. It was making her sick.

"Hey, Darlin'," he said smiling as he got out of the limo, "You found it okay?"

"I told you I would," she smiled and leaned into him kissing him hello.

Brooke rolled her eyes again and walked past them.

Standing at the table in the entrance hall, Nick draped his hand around Jules' waist as they looked for their table card.

"We are seated together, right, Nick?" she nervously said.

"Yeah, the bridal party will sit with their spouses at one table. No worries, Honey," he smiled at her allowing his hand to fall slightly over the top of her ass.

"You really do look gorgeous, Sweetheart," he whispered in her ear.

"I can say the same about you, ya know," she whispered back.

* * *

It wasn't like Jules not to fit right in with Nick's friends, but she really didn't feel that way with this group. It didn't help that she had a terrible headache and she didn't feel all that well in her stomach. But, as they all sat around the round table close to the Bride and Groom's, each of them laughed loudly about the memories from the past. Jules took note that Brooke continuously tried to bring up memories involving only Nick and herself. Jules didn't really care, she actually just thought Brooke was acting a little pathetic.

"How about the time we rented that cabin at Potter's Lake and Josh got drunk and passed out outside?" Rob yelled.

"Oh that poor guy had bug bites even on his ass!" Amber said.

"Oh yeah, and you were such an asshole that night!" Nick chimed in looking at Rob as he took a swig of his beer.

"Oh my God, that's right, you and Sherri got into a fight and you stormed off because me and Nick told you to shut the fuck up and calm down!" Ship recalled.

"Yeah, we didn't know what to do or how long you were gonna leave us there!" Amber said laughing.

"Yeah, and Brooke and Nick thought it would be a good idea to walk to the nearest town in case I didn't come back!" Rob roared.

"Well, we found one, didn't we!" Nick laughed hard.

"**TWO HOURS LATER**!" Brooke proclaimed, "and everything was **CLOSED**!" she laughed loudly.

"Well for the record, I begged you both not to go!" Sherri defended herself.

"No worries, we found things to do on the way there," Brooke giggled and looked over at Nick smirking, "**and **on the way back..."

Jules found it an unnecessary comment but said nothing.

Nick put his fork down and reminded his friends about another moment in time.

"No, no, my favorite was when Amber and Sherri were dancing on the bar at Murphy's and the guys started to stuff them with dollars!" Nick laughed loudly.

"Hey, we made fifty bucks each that night!" Amber smirked.

"Hey Amber, you know we would have made more if Rob and Ship didn't make us get down!" Sherri said proudly.

"Definitely!" Amber agreed.

"Oh, I remember that night," Brooke began.

Jules knew she was sure to make it a Nick story and she nearly rolled her eyes.

"Nicky, you remember? We missed most of it because…"

"All right, Brooke, we all know why," Amber cut her off almost knowing the discomfort Jules was beginning to feel.

Josh and Anna walked over to their round table and Josh quickly joined in.

"Nah, my favorite has to be when Nicky nearly burned down Ramsey Hall!" Josh said when he and Anna came up behind them to join into their college memories.

"Oh my God, you did, Nick?" Jules turned and smirked at her husband.

"Oh Yeah, he did!" Anna laughed.

"Complete with fire trucks and sprinklers," Ship laughed harder.

"Hey, come on, how was I supposed to know the wind would blow the curtains!?" Nick said as all of them cried with laughter.

"You can't put a **candle **on a window ledge **next **to **curtains**, Dumbass!" Rob interjected.

"They go up fast, huh, Nicky?" Anna chimed in.

"Cut him some slack, guys…he's a romantic!" Brooke gushed. "You know **why **he had candles lit in his room," she laughed but the table grew a bit quieter.

Brooke was becoming more and more inconsiderate. After all, Nick's wife didn't need to hear about **why **Nick had candles burning in his room. The only funny part of the story was he nearly burned down the dorm.

Jules placed her napkin on the table next to her plate gently.

"I'm gonna go call your parents, Nicky. I want to see how Emma is doing," she leaned over and told Nick.

Nick nodded to her and she got up from her chair and grabbed her purse. As she turned to walk away, Nick leaned back and slapped her ass.

Jules turned around surprised. She knew then that he was already on his way to being completely loaded.

"Oh would you look at that, Nicky's still a horny son of a bitch," Ship yelled. "Always lookin' to cop a feel," he said as Rob, Sherri, and Brooke laughed loudly while Amber elbowed her husband.

Nick laughed along with his buddies and Jules just smiled, shook her head, and walked into the lobby to call Nick's parents to check on their daughter.

* * *

As the night went on, Jules headache grew worse from the incessant chatter of Brooke gushing over her husband. She didn't mind if the girl was still hung up on Nick, Jules was truly confident in Nick's love for her, but she just wasn't in the mood to listen to her babbling.

"Stokes, you two gonna are gonna come out with us after this shindig, right?" Ship asked as the party was ending.

"Of course, Ship! C'mon, you know me better than that!" Nick said much louder than he needed to.

Jules found it funny to see him so trashed.

As everyone started to head out of the ballroom, Jules pulled Nick aside.

"Honey, would you be mad if I told you I wanted to go up to the room instead of going out?" Jules felt bad asking but she really didn't feel all that well.

"Oh... oh... no, yeah, if you want to go back I can tell them we will see them in the morning," Nick slurred sounding a little disappointed.

"No, no, Nicky, I want **you **to go! Go with your friends," she insisted. "I will be fine! I just want to go up and take a shower and lie down."

"Yeah? You don't care?" he tilted his head not sure if she was really okay with it.

"Of course not, Nick! **Go**!" she smiled and she reached out and touched his face.

"Alright, but let me walk you to our room," he said taking her hand and heading to the elevator.

"I will meet you in the lobby in a few minutes; I am gonna walk Jules up to our room," he yelled out to his group of friends.

Jules thought she saw a smile creep over Brooke's face when they saw that Jules wasn't coming out with them, but she didn't care enough to look twice.

Instead, she held Nick's hand and walked into the elevator with him.

* * *

Nick walked her into the room and instantly pulled her to him by her waist.

"Did I tell you how gorgeous you look tonight?" he said caressing her ass as he spoke.

"Uh huh," she smiled at him and kicked off her pretty, but painful, strappy heels.

"Did I tell you how much I love you?" he asked.

"Yes, but I'd love to hear it again," she laughed quietly.

Nick ran his hands down to the hem of her dress and reached up it, surprising her.

"I love you," he said grabbing the side of her panties trying hard to pull them off. "Annnnd I can show you," he smirked.

"You're drunk, Handsome," she laughed.

"Yes, yes I am, but that doesn't mean I don't still want to fuck you," he slurred and pulled her panties harder but they were hard to maneuver by just reaching up her dress.

"Oh yeah? Is that so?" she laughed, "You're friends are waiting, ya know," she reminded him.

"I can be quick, just watch me…"

Nick took his hand out from under her dress, grabbed the bottom of it and pulled it up. Once he had it around her waist, he took a step back and he scanned her up and down lustfully.

Lifting her up fiercely, he brought her over to the dresser.

Holding her up onto him with one hand, he used the other to push everything off the dresser, sending it crashing to the floor. Jules wondered if the lamp broke but before she could mention it, Nick quickly unbuckled his belt, unzipped his zipper and freed himself from his tuxedo pants within seconds.

Just as quickly, Nick grabbed her panties and ripped the sides, tearing them off completely. Tossing the torn material to the floor, he immediately jammed himself hard inside her pushing her back against the mirror.

"Ohhhh" he groaned out. "Oh fuck yeah, Baby, I wanted to do this to you all night," he said grabbing her hips so he could fuck her harder. He was wild. This was no love making, he was fucking her like a drunken sailor and shamefully, she liked it. It was different and fun.

"Oh yeah, Texas, I wanted you to fuck me, too," she whispered. "I wanted you to take me into the coat room so I could drop to my knees and suck your dick," she said knowing it was turning him on that she was talking dirty to him.

Argh," Nick grunted as he jammed into her hard and deep wildly. "Yeah? You wanted me to take you upstairs for a quick fuck? You dirty little minx," he said between groans.

"Oh yeah, you nasty, naughty man," she almost laughed when she moaned the words to him. She knew she had made him insanely hot and it struck her funny.

She could tell Nick loved it because he yanked her off the dresser and put her onto her feet. He spun her around and bent her over the dresser and grabbed her by her hips. He began pounding into her like a wild man and she felt him reach up and grab her hair. It hurt a little as he pulled it back but it felt too wild and hot to care. She decided to talk dirtier to him just to see how far he would go.

"Oh you want to fuck me, Cowboy? You wanted to pull up my dress and bang me in the elevator, didn't you? You wanted to throw me up against the wall and fuck me hard?"

Oh fuck yeah, I want to fuck you all the time, Baby," he said pulling harder on her hair.

"Then go ahead and fuck me, Nicky… fuck me harder," she moaned knowing it was firing him up like never before. With him being drunk it made him crazy so she wanted to work him up good.

"Come on, Cowboy…is that all you got?" she instigated. "...you wanna teach me a lesson for not going out with you tonight?"

"Ohhh, fuck yeah, you little tease," he moaned and slammed her harder almost making her head hit the mirror but he held her back by his fist full of her hair.

Nick wanted to grab her breasts and rub her nipples, but her dress was still on and he couldn't get to them, so he just pushed her dress up higher, grabbed her hip tighter, and pulled her hair harder, slamming wildly inside her.

Jules jumped when the loud banging of their hotel door vibrated the walls.

"**STOKES! STOKES**! Come on, open up, man!" the loud voices of drunken friends came loudly through the door.

"**YOU IN THERE STOKES!" **they yelled with no concern of any possible sleeping guests on that floor.**  
**

Nick couldn't stop pounding his wife even if he wanted to…he was too far gone to care about his friends waiting outside the door. With one last thrust he groaned loudly as he came hard inside her.

His friends continued to pound on the door as Nick slowly pulled out of her, sweaty and out of breath. Pulling up his pants, he barely had them zipped when he stumbled over to the door.

Jules quickly pulled her dress down and tried to straighten herself up.

Nick pulled open the door and Josh, Ship, Rob, Anna, Brooke and Sherri piled into the room.

"What took you so long, Stokes? God man, I gotta piss!" Ship yelled. "Amber is asleep in my room, man, and I need a bathroom **NOW**," he said walking into their bathroom.

Josh looked at the lamp, hotel stationery and an ice bucket scattered around on the floor.

"What the fuck happened in here? You get robbed?" he was too drunk to figure it out until Rob looked down and saw the torn thong on the floor. He quickly bent down and grabbed it. Holding it up and swinging it around he began to yell.

"_**Ohhhh Nicky Boy is at it again! He can't even go up to a room without getting laid before he leaves!" **_Rob was roaring with drunken laughter.

Jules closed her eyes and shook her head.

"**ROB**! Put them down!" Sherri yelled at her husband in defense of an embarrassed Jules.

"Stokes, you ripped them up!" Rob held his stomach as he laughed.

Nick laughed proudly, pulled them out of his buddy's hands and tossed them into the garbage pail by the dresser.

Jules watched silently. She could feel Brooke's eyes boring holes into her but she wouldn't look her way.

"Come on, Nicky, " Brooke grumbled. "Let's go to the bar downstairs…we're all going dancing," she informed him.

Nick took his tuxedo jacket off and threw it on the chair in the corner. He looked over at Jules who smiled at him to let him know she had no problem with him going out. She spotted Brooke walking over to grab Nick's arm but Jules stepped in her path and stood in front of her husband. Reaching forward, she finished buckling his belt that had never been fastened.

"Niiiiiice, Nickkkayy!" Ship laughed as he spotted what Jules was doing.

Nick chuckled proudly.

All of them began to walk to the door. Nick stopped.

"You sure you don't want to come along?" Nick turned back to his wife.

"Nope, you go ahead. Have a good time," she smiled.

Nick smiled, walked back to her and kissed her before whispering in her ear.

"You were incredible. You never cease to amaze me."

"I know the feeling, Cowboy, I know the feeling," she whispered back.

He leaned in and kissed her goodbye again, before walking out the door with his old college crew.


	8. In the Blink of an Eye

_*** In the Blink of an Eye ***_

Only ten days had passed since Josh and Anna's wedding, yet it seemed like it was only yesterday. Nick shook his head in disbelief. _"How could something so good, crash and burn so fast?" _Nick wondered silently. It just was simply unbelievable. His life as he knew it was turned upside down in an instant. In the blink of an eye it was all gone. Nick just couldn't wrap his brain around it.

The rain was falling fast and furiously as he pulled into his driveway. Shutting off his engine he sat quietly listening only to the sound of his windshield wipers swishing back and forth ferociously. Nick just stared at his house for a few minutes before getting out of the truck. He was remembering when he and Jules bought it. Both he and Jules couldn't stand the sight of the Berman's house leering at them everyday after all that happened there with Jimmy Cole, so they agreed it was time to put his house up on the market and move away. They had looked at a few before they found this one. As soon as they drove up to it, they looked at each other and smiled; they knew it was meant for them. They both loved that house, loved their neighborhood, and knew it was exactly what they had hoped for.

Nick swallowed back the lump in his throat as he looked at the house staring back at him. Nick knew his daughter would be napping and it would be the perfect time to catch Jules at home. He couldn't stand it; he just had to see his wife; he had to make her understand how much he loved her and that she was the only woman in his life and has been since the day he met her. He lived and breathed for his wife and daughter. They were the loves of his life and they always have been. Nick had to see her, he had to talk to her, and if his daughter was sleeping he knew he could find Jules at home.

He contemplated using his key to get inside and out of the down pouring rain quickly, but he didn't want to scare her and he certainly didn't want to come across so bold. So instead he jumped out of his truck and allowed the rain to drench him as he walked up to the front door. Standing before it, Nick took a deep breath, exhaled loudly, and rang his doorbell. He looked down while he waited to keep the whipping rain out of his face, and noticed he had forgotten to take off his CSI vest before leaving work. He shook his head in disgust. True he had just worked a double, but that wasn't why he forgot...he just couldn't seem to think straight or know what the hell he was doing anymore. While he swept the rain off of it with his hands, he contemplated running back and throwing it in his truck, but, before he could, the front door opened.

Nick saw the startled look on her face; she was not expecting him. She looked pale and her eyes were red and puffy. He knew instantly she had been crying. She had obviously taken the opportunity to let herself cry hard while their daughter slept peacefully.

"Nick," she said flatly staring at him.

"Honey, I..." he couldn't get out the words he had imagined saying.

"Nick, you shouldn't..." she could only get out the three words before she swallowed hard and touched her hair as if she was embarrassed by her appearance.

He wished she didn't feel that way. She had to know he always thought she was gorgeous no matter what she looked like.

"Honey, please," he tried hard not to let his voice tremble.

She looked at the ground but he could still see the enormous pain that washed over her face.

"If you will just let me try to make sense of all of this...if we could talk," he pleaded as the rain pelted the back of his neck angrily.

"Nick...," she said a third time not able to get any other words out of her mouth. Her heart was aching. It was literally hurting inside her.

"I know Em is sleeping...let me come in so we could talk...please," he felt the lump in his throat.

Jules swallowed hard again and could feel the sadness engulfing her. She wanted to cry just at the sight of him, but she refused. Not in front of him. She had been crying a lot this past week with him gone, keeping it hidden from their daughter and their friends. She was good at hiding her heartache, and she would try to fight back the tears now in order to hold it all together.

"Please, Honey. Please let me come in?" he begged.

Jules watched the rain spill off the brim of his LVPD Forensics cap for a few seconds before she stepped to the side giving him access into their home. Nick walked in slowly with his heart heavy.

"There really isn't much more we can talk about, Nicky," she finally spoke a full sentence.

"There has to be, Honey. There has to be a way to make you understand that I love you. I love you more than I ever knew possible. You and Emma are my life...my heart... I can't..."

Jules cut him off. "I understand that, and I believe Emma is your heart," she began.

Nick cut her off, "_**and you are too!**_ You have to know that!" his voice trembled.

"**Emma** is your heart. I am not. If I was, Nick, if I was you would never have done what you did. You would never have been with her. You would have stopped, taken a step back, and ran the other way. But you didn't," her lip began to quiver. "You made a choice, Nicky. You made your choice."

"But I didn't, I swear to God I don't..." he reached for her but she backed away.

"**NO,** no, don't tell me you don't remember any of it. I don't want to hear that anymore. The pictures don't lie, Nick. They speak for themselves," she almost let her face wince from the images she saw, but she held herself together.

Nick looked at the floor. He was telling her the truth. He truly didn't remember any of it. He would never in a million years cheat on Jules. And yet, the pictures showed differently. The had arrived in the mail **and** they were also splattered across her FaceBook page. They were all sent anonymously.

Watching the rain drops drip off of him and onto the entrance hall tile, Nick relived his nightmare quietly in his own mind.

He remembered coming home and stumbling over the suitcase by the door. He didn't understand why it was there. When he caught his balance he looked up and saw her standing in the hallway with a manila envelope in one hand and their daughter held on her hip with the other. He hated thinking back to that day.

"Why is there a suitcase here, Babe?" he asked her a little annoyed that she left it there and he tripped over it.

"Because you are taking a little trip," she said. Her eyes were red and swollen. She looked over at Emma and said in a sweet voice, "because daddy needs to go away for his work, right, Emma?"

Nick wasn't sure what the hell she was talking about. He didn't have any trips planned and there were no conferences. Where was she getting that idea, he wondered.

"No I don't, Babe. Why do you think that?" he asked jerking back his head confused.

Jules shot him a look. "Yes you do, Daddy. _**YES, you do**_," she stressed sternly.

Nick knew she was covering something up to keep the truth away from their little girl.

"Daddy going on a trip...Daddy is," Emma smiled wide showing the same dimples as her mother.

"Come on, Em, let's go put on Barney, okaaay?" she kissed her forehead and began to sing the Barney theme song as she turned toward the living room.

Suddenly she stopped, turned back to Nick, and handed him the manila envelope before walking away. Nick had no clue what the hell was going on. He stood in the hallway and opened the envelope. He slid several pictures out of it. Nick squinted his eyes in disbelief. His stomach felt like it was hit with a cinder block. The pictures were taken at Josh and Anna's wedding a week earlier. He looked at the image of him lying on a geometric print bedspread on a hotel bed, Brooke Latham was straddling him, leaning over with her hands next to the sides of his head, her hair draping down touching his cheek and her mouth on his.

Nick pressed his lips together hard and frowned. He flipped to the next picture and closed his eyes for a minute. Brooke was still straddling him and it looked like she was riding him now. Although his pants were still on, his tuxedo shirt was open, exposing his white, ribbed, tank undershirt, and his bow tie was barely hanging on to his collar.

Nick shook his head in disbelief. He had no idea where these pictures came from. He could see that it was him. He recognized the tuxedo he was partially wearing. He remembered the room...it was the same one that he partied with his buddies in after the reception. But he had _**no**_ idea why Brooke Latham was on top of him and he didn't remember it happening at all.

Nick flipped to the next picture and sucked in a huge gasp of air. He began to shake his head and let it hang down. How was he supposed to explain why Brooke had her dress pooled around her waist while straddling him as he lay flat on the bed? How was he going to explain why his hands were on her bare breasts and she was laughing with her head back? Nick rubbed his palm over his face. He couldn't look at the rest so he just slid them back into the envelope.

How could this be happening? This simply did not happen! But here it was in vivid color. Here was the evidence right there in his hand. His brain might not recall this nightmare, but the pictures captured it as proof.

Jules walked back into the hallway without Emma in her arms. She now allowed the tears to fall but she said nothing as they did. She stared at him with pain filled eyes before she finally spoke.

"They arrived today," she said, "...**after** they were posted all over my FaceBook wall for all to see, of course."

"But, I don't understand..." Nick tried to comprehend it all.

"I don't understand either, Nick," her voice cracked and her words were tight.

"**How could you?**" her voice trembled with pain and she covered her mouth to try to keep herself from sobbing. She didn't want their daughter to hear her.

"_**But Honey, I swear...**_" Nick tried to explain.

His heart shattered when he saw her face wince, her shoulders crumble, and her eyes begging to understand why. It killed him to hear her try to ask the same question again, "_**How could you?**_" and watch her put her hands over her heart as if she was trying to keep it from being ripped out of her chest. The pain he witnessed in her eyes was indescribable.

'But I ...," Nick continued.

"**Nick, stop!"** she put up her hand, "Just stop! Don't try to make a bigger fool out of me than you already have, okay?" she struggled to get the words out clearly.

Wiping her tears she continued. "I should have known... one woman was never enough for you...Warrick warned me years ago, but you had me fooled. **You **said I_ changed you_. **You **said you_ loved _**me**... You really are a bastard, Nick."

"Jules...I am telling you, I do not remember any of this," he pleaded.

Jules shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Let me refresh your memory then, Nick. It was Josh's wedding in Texas. I went back to our room and you stayed up with your buddies," she said wiping the stream of tears from her face again. "You stumbled in at 5 in the morning. I laughed at how banged up you were. I had no idea..." she sucked in a strained breath of air, "...I had no idea, " she stuttered. "**Now** I know why."

Nick swallowed hard and shook his head. He knew the night she was talking about. And it was true he had gotten drunk as hell with his old college friends and he did stumble back to their room at 5 am. All of that was accurate, but **not** the part that he hooked up with Brooke. That simply couldn't be true.

"Nick..." she paused and straighten up, pulling herself together. It was as if he could actually see the wall she was building around herself. She swallowed hard and began again.

"Nick, I need you to take that suitcase. I packed a lot of your clothes and things you need," the tears started to stream down her face again as she spoke, but her words were hard and strong. "You need to get out."

"_**Whoa, whoa, Honey, no, no, wait a minute,**_" he walked toward her with his hands out, but she backed away. "_**Honey we have to talk about this,**_" he shook his head in disbelief.

"**Emma**!" she called out loudly. "**Come give Daddy a kiss goodbye,**" she squeezed her eyes shut tight before her daughter toddled in.

"You go bye bye now, Daddy?" she asked as she walked to him not understanding what was happening.

Nick knelt down to her level and pulled her into his arms hugging her tightly.

Jules breathed in a huge breath and it shook as she exhaled. She watched as her daughter hugged her father and she covered her mouth with her hand to fight off the sobs.

"Daddy will be home soon, okay, Sweet Pea?" he looked at Jules as he said it. "It will just be for a little while. Daddy loves you, you know that, right Princess?" his voice cracked and his eyes filled with tears.

"Bye bye," she gave him a wet, sticky kiss on his lips as she held his face with her tiny, sticky, hands.

Jules watched with pure grief as Emma smiled at him and then tilted her head and frowned the same way Nick does.

"Yaw eyes cryin', Daddy?" she asked him still holding his face. He could smell the scent of Cheerios on her hands.

Nick looked into her eyes and held back his emotions with all his might.

"Yes, Honey... Daddy is sad to leave you because he will miss you so much," he grabbed his daughter and stood up hugging her tightly and pulling her head to his shoulder. He closed his eyes tight and held back his own sobs to protect his daughter from the agony inside him.

Jules stepped forward.

"Okay, Emma, Daddy needs to go now..." Jules said quietly.

Nick didn't want to let her go. He held on to her, keeping his eyes closed, still in shock at what was happening. His life, his happiness, everything he loved most in this world, was being torn out from under him. Nick understood his wife's pain. He understood why she was throwing him out. If he ever saw her with an old boyfriend in the positions those pictures showed him in, he wouldn't be able to look her in her face either. He would be devastated too. But he just didn't understand this nightmare...it simply wasn't possible. None of it made sense.

Jules reached out and touched Nick's shoulder to let him know she needed him to give her their daughter. She didn't want to pull Emma from him, but she needed him out of her sight. Still hugging his baby tightly, Nick opened his eyes and looked at Jules with a pained look she had never seen before. It was as if his eyes were speaking to hers, begging for forgiveness. Jules couldn't look at them. She held out her arms and looked at Emma instead.

"Come on, pretty girl, come to Mommy," her voice tight as she spoke.

Emma reached out and draped her arms around her mother's neck, scooting herself up onto her hip.

"Blow Daddy kisses," she said as she pressed her forehead into the side of her daughter's hair trying to muffle the pain.

The little girl with her Daddy's nose and bright smile, put her sticky palm to her lips and threw him kisses.

"Bye Bye, Daddy, Bye Bye!" she smiled wide and her eyes danced like her mother's once did. He could see he had killed that sparkle in his wife's eyes.

Nick reached up and pretended to grab her kiss and held his fist to his mouth.

"I love you, Sweet Pea," he could barely get the words out. "I love you and Mommy so much and Daddy will see you soon, okay? You be a good girl for Mommy until I get back," he looked up at Jules.

Jules looked down at the floor.

"_Bye, Nick_," she whispered and walked to the door opening it wide.

Nick closed his eyes for a second before picking up his suitcase. He stopped and looked at Jules and shook his head slowly before walking out his front door. He heard it close behind him.

"_**Nick**_?" her voice startled him from his memory.

"Nick, do you want to come in or just stand in the hallway?" she asked him.

He could only stare at her.

She stared back at him confused before speaking. "You left your vest on?" she asked surprised, "Here, I'll take it; it's soaking wet," she added, holding her hand out.

Nick nodded and took it off handing it to her.

He remained quiet while he watched her shake it a little as she walked into the dining room and hung it on the back of a dining room chair to dry off. Nick took off his cap and shook it a little too, then he ran his fingers through his hair and put it back on.

Jules turned back and walked into their living room and he followed. The two of them sat side by side, facing each other, on the couch. Jules sat with one leg under her and a throw pillow clutched in front of her chest while she leaned back on the arm of the couch. Nick sat sideways looking at her for a minute before he finally spoke.

"Honey, we need to talk this out. I miss you so, so much, Baby," he told her.

Jules stayed quiet this time. She seemed hardened and cold. She wasn't the same; he could feel it.

"Babe, listen to me, okay? Just give me a minute to tell you..." he began.

"Tell me what? That you don't remember?" she said with a cold, icy, tone, "That this couldn't possibly have happened? Do you think I am that stupid, Nick?" she rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Give me a little credit, Nicky. The pictures speak for themselves."

"But, no, no they don't," he shook his head and reached over and touched her leg.

She looked down at his hand touching her for a second and then looked back at him numbly.

Nick could feel how distant she was. It hurt him deeply because he knew she had built a wall around herself to keep from feeling. She was closed off from him now. Betrayed. She didn't seem to care anything about him. She wasn't crying. She wasn't trembling. She just looked at him with a distant stare and a cold chill. He knew she once had issues with abandonment and he knew he hurt her deeply which brought those issues all back for her. It looked as if she felt nothing for him and it terrified him. It scared him because he knew once she built up walls it would be nearly impossible to get through to her. She would shut him down completely...and he feared she would just run.

What Nick didn't know was Jules _wasn't_ closed off from feeling. No, Jules was feeling an ache inside her that she had never felt before. She _wished_ she was closed off from feeling, but she wasn't. In fact, she had been crying since Emma went down for her nap an hour earlier – something Jules had been doing for the past week. When the doorbell rang she had been in a ball on the couch sobbing and asking herself over and over "_**Why**_**?**"

Nick couldn't possibly know that she cried herself to sleep holding his pillow to her face every night after she knew her daughter was sleeping. She wouldn't let him see how much she missed him or how she didn't know how she would be able to stand life without him in it.

Jules knew exactly what she needed to survive this kind of pain. Her defense mechanism was to do what she did before she met Nick, to build a wall around herself to keep from feeling that horrible pain. It would be the _only_ was she could put on a happy face and play with her daughter. And she would stay busy so she could keep Nick from interrupting her thoughts and invading her dreams. She refused to let the ache effect her. She refused to crumble or let herself be anything else but strong.

The sad fact for her now was that she could no longer trust him. He betrayed her.

Jules would just have to learn to live without him because she couldn't live with him.

Nick Stokes wasn't the man she thought she knew after all.


	9. BROKEN

_**Broken**_

* * *

She couldn't stand to have the darkness fill her home now that it was only her and her daughter living in it, so she went around closing all the blinds and curtains as soon as the sun went down. And, even though several years had passed since that psychopath Jimmy Cole watched her through windows at night, the time didn't help her uneasiness at all.

Turning on Emma's nightlight she covered her with a pink and brown, striped, fuzzy blanket, and she made sure she placed a well worn and tattered blanket her daughter calls "woobie" by her head. Leaning over her, she stroked her hair and kissed her. She stopped and stared at her sleeping peacefully with her thumb in her mouth.

"_My God, she looks just like you, Nicky_," she whispered quietly as if he could hear her, before walking out and closing the door only half way.

Once alone in her kitchen Jules paced the floor wondering what Warrick will say when he finds out. He didn't know about any of this because Jules had dropped him off at the airport the morning before the pictures of Nick's infidelity arrived. He had finally gone on his much needed, well planned, two week vacation to Hawaii and she refused to hit him with this kind of news. The sad part was she really could use his shoulder right now. She felt like she needed him more than ever. As she paced back and forth she could hear their conversation as they stood in front of the Departure terminal.

"Call me if you need anything, Baby Girl," he told her, "and even if you don't, call me anyway so you can hear the waves drench my sand covered feet!" he laughed obnoxiously.

"You think you're making me jealous?" she laughed back at her brother.

"Absolutely," he looked over at her as she put her car in park.

"Okay, okay, maybe a little," she nodded, "but do you have to rub it in?"

"You bring shells from the beach to me, Uncle Wick?" Emma's little voice rose from the backseat.

"You got it, Tiny. I'll get you some shells," he looked back at her and smiled. "Uncle Wick would bring you the moon and the stars if he could, you know that!"

"Warrick don't tell her that!" she slapped his arm, "she will really believe you!"

After Warrick kissed his niece goodbye, he walked around to the trunk and grabbed his bags. Jules slammed the hatch shut and hugged him tightly.

"Remember, tell Nick to give a 'heads up' to Griss that he'll need some LT the night I am coming home," he reminded her. "If he has Lost Time he can pick me up because there is no way I am bothering you at 3:00 in the morning! If he can't get LT then I will call a cab," he leaned in and hugged her tightly.

"I know, I know," she squeezed him harder.

"I love you, Warrick," she smiled, "Have a great time, okay?"

"You can count on that, Baby Girl! I'll call you in a few days to let you know if I met any Hawaiian Honeys," he smiled wide and walked through the airport doors out of sight.

Never in a million years would she think that she would have to tell Warrick about this kind of horror that Nick caused. As much as she needed her brother's support though, she would never disrupt his vacation. She was also absolutely terrified at the thought of how he would react. After all, Nick is his best friend, his colleague, and his brother-in-law…you can't get much closer than that combination...and still, she knows her brother will still go ballistic. This whole thing was a mess.

"_How could Nick have possibly put them in such a situation?" _she wondered.

"_How could he be so selfish to destroy everything they had, not to mention destroy the stability in his little girl's life. And for what? A roll in the hay with his ex-girlfriend?"_

Jules was feeling an array of emotions and she finally made herself stop pacing and sit down at the kitchen table. She put her elbows on the table and held her head up with her hands thinking mostly about how much she missed Nick. It was that time of night where the two of them would sit together and talk, or play a game of cards and laugh before he headed into work. Even after all of the heartache he had caused she missed him and she still loved him with that same crazy love she had from the start. She didn't want to, but she couldn't seem to push it away.

As she sat alone she then began to think about going back to New Jersey, but she knew she couldn't run anymore; she had a little girl to think about and she couldn't rip her away from her father regardless of his selfishness. Not to mention it would be against the law. No, Jules' running days were over and she had to stay and face the pain.

Besides, there was nothing in left for her in New Jersey anymore anyway. She has a renter living full time in her Jersey shore house, and she had sold her other rental house a couple years ago when the market was hot. In fact, she sold it for nearly three times what she paid for it. It was that fantastic investment that made it possible for her and Nick to buy the house they were living in now outright. She and Nick loved the fact that they never had to worry about a mortgage payment thanks to that house in New Jersey. It was because of that investment that allowed Jules to stay home with Emma and live fine on just one income.

She was proud of herself for that purchase. She was proud of herself for following her instincts and taking a chance on the unknown. Her career as a chemist paid her a salary high into the six figures and she spent her money wisely. She was young to make such wise decisions, but she had to grow up fast and learn the ins and outs of getting ahead because of the life she and Warrick had growing up. Clawing your way out of the ghetto the way the two of them did took determination, smarts, courage, and strength, all of which would help her get through the disaster that lay before her now. She needed to be determined, smart, courageous and strong. She knew she needed to pick herself up and look forward even if it meant going forward with only her little girl by her side. She could do it. She knew she had it in her. She just wished it didn't hurt as bad as it did and she wished even harder that she could stop loving him so intensely. The thought of how much she loved him and the emptiness she felt inside made her cover her face with her hands and cry softly. The pain was too great and she just couldn't hold back her tears anymore.

The ringing of her phone made her wipe off her face quickly and take a deep breath. She was afraid it was Warrick finally checking in and she was terrified he would be able to tell by her voice that something was wrong. But, when she looked at the caller ID, she saw the one name she not only wanted to see but the one she also couldn't bear to see. Nick was calling. She took another deep breath, cleared her throat and answered the phone.

"Hello," she said masking her sadness with strength.

"Honey, it's me," Nick said sheepishly.

"I know," Jules answered flatly.

"I miss you, Honey."

Jules remained silent. She squeezed her eyes tightly; she knew **exactly **how he felt.

"Honey, please talk to me," he pleaded.

"What do you need, Nick? Is there something you need?" she asked coldly.

"Yeah, I need **you**. I need **you and Em**," his voice cracked.

"Well, I am actually glad you mentioned that," she replied.

"You are!?" Nick said hopeful.

"Yeah, because she misses you, and keeps asking when you are coming home."

"And what did you tell her?"

"I need some time to figure out what to tell her, Nick. But…" she paused.

Nick waited silently praying she was going to tell him to come home, even if it was only for Emma's sake.

But, she didn't. Instead she explained to him that he needed to spend time with his daughter.

"You need to tell me when a good time is that you could come and take Emma out to eat or to the playground or whatever it is you would like to do with your daughter," she said emotionless. "We need to figure out a schedule for you and her."

Nick's heart broke.

His stomach fell.

He wasn't expecting to hear those words.

He never thought he would ever be a father that would have to _schedule _a date in order to spend time with his baby.

He thought for a minute that he might literally vomit. He leaned over with his forearms on his thighs and sat hovered over on the bench in the Crime Lab locker room.

The silence was so deafening that Jules thought maybe they got disconnected.

"Nick?" she paused. "Nick, you still there?"

He felt like the wind had been knocked out of him; the pain was too hideous to handle.

Nick couldn't speak. He could only think about now having to **schedule** **time **to spend with his daughter.

"Nick, you okay?" she asked showing some emotion.

He still couldn't answer so he simply closed his phone, placed it next to him on the bench, put his face in his hands, and … he cried.

Jules heard him hang up. She felt his pain right through the phone. She knew he couldn't talk because he had lost his composure. It killed her to know she hurt him so badly. She didn't do it to strike back at him. She did it because she meant it; his daughter needed to see her father and they really did need to set something up. But she knew that hit Nick like a ton of bricks. She knew he couldn't bear the thought of himself not being able to see her every day…to see her run to him, laugh with him, or share a bowl of cereal with him in the morning.

Hot tears began to roll down her face, burning her eyes as they did. She began to sob. She tried to keep her cries quiet but she couldn't hold them back. She held onto the counter to brace herself. She felt literally sick. Her stomach churned. Jules ran over to the garbage, leaned over and vomited into it. She threw up again before she grabbed the dish towel to hold to her mouth. She leaned against the counter but she this time she let herself sink to the floor, completely wiped out, and exhausted from the grief.

Sitting on her kitchen floor alone, she pulled her knees up to her chest, covered her face with her hands and cried harder than she ever knew possible. The image of him with another woman was unbearable. The thought of him out of her life was unimaginable. She loved him with a love she never knew existed. She was crazy in love with her husband and she didn't know how she would ever be able to stop loving him.

After her sobs quieted and the last tear fell, she lifted her head and, with her heart broken into tiny pieces, she stared out at nothing…

She felt dead inside.


	10. What's Wrong?

_**What's Wrong?**_

* * *

Pouring coffee into her coffee mug carefully Catherine looked over as Greg walked into the break room and smiled at her.

"Coffee break for you too, huh?" Greg said reaching for his own mug.

"Yeah, looks like it might be a long one tonight," she answered.

Catherine sat down at the table and rubbed her temples a bit before looking over at Greg who pulls out a chair and sits down next to her.

"Hey, Greg?" she says slowly.

"Mmm hmmm," he answered as he sipped of his coffee.

"Do you think Nicky is acting right?" she bit the inside of her cheek.

"I don't know, I didn't really think about it…," he paused, "...but now that you mention it,"

"I'm thinking something is up with him. He hasn't been right for the last week," she said turning her chair to look at him.

The two of them sat quietly voicing their concerns about their friend. They were worried about him and they weren't sure if they were over analyzing him or if there really was something going on. They just knew Nick was not acting like the Nicky they knew. They could tell just by the way he hasn't been focused or completely there with them.

"Yeah, he is definitely not on his game," Greg agreed. "Do you think we should ask him?"

"I don't know. I would think he would come to us if he had something bothering him, no?" she questioned as she took her last gulp of coffee.

Greg pressed his lips together in thought as Catherine got up to rinse her mug.

"Yeah, I don't know. I'm not sure. Maybe we're wrong," he questioned their suspicions and washed his mug once Catherine was finished.

"Let's just see how it goes," she said as they walked out of the break room together. "Maybe it will pass…if it's even anything at all."

Greg nodded in agreement and the break room door closed behind them.

* * *

Nick didn't mean to just hang up on Jules, but he couldn't physically talk. He was so thrown by her statement he couldn't do anything else but hang up and put the phone down.

Her words continued to echo in his head.

"_Emma misses you…We need to figure out a schedule for you and her._"

He couldn't stop it from replaying itself over and over inside his head as he cried hard in his hands.

This all just didn't make any sense. He loved them more than anything he had ever felt before. There was no way he would jeopardize his happiness to screw around with anyone, never mind Brooke Latham. He just couldn't wrap his head around it and he just couldn't stop crying from the intense pain in his heart.

Nick could hear voices coming closer to the locker room but he couldn't compose himself even if he tried, and hoped that the people talking wouldn't be coming inside and catch him crying.

Unfortunately for him, they were, and they would be shocked to find their colleague crying his heart out on the bench inside.

Greg opened the door and as he did he smiled at Catherine.

"After you, my dear," he laughed and allowed her to walk in first.

Greg nearly bumped into the back of her when she stopped short from what she saw.

Catherine's heart instantly sank.

"_**Nicky!**_?" she gasped. "Nicky, what's the matter!?" she scurried over to him with Greg following behind her confused as to what she saw.

"**Whoa**, whoa, what's up, Nick?" Greg asked startled when he saw the condition Nick was in.

Nick continued to hold his head in his hands and he tried hard to stop the tears. He was taught from the time he was a boy to keep a stiff upper lip and that men don't cry. But here he sat, on the bench in the locker room, crying like a child.

Catherine put her hand on his shoulder and Greg closed the locker room door tight.

Nick was silent as he wiped his face with both hands pulling himself back together.

"My God, Nicky, what is it? **_Is Emma, okay? Is it Jules_**?" Catherine pleaded for answers.

Nick took a deep breath and regrouped.

"No, Emma is fine," he said straightening himself up. "It's Jules…she…she threw me out," he swallowed hard and looked over at them.

"_**WHAT**_?!" Greg said loudly, jerking his head back with shock.

"No, no, Nicky," Catherine rubbed his back. "That can't be right, you two just had a great time in Texas a couple weeks ago! Jules and you…**you two**…no, I don't believe it," she shook her head.

"Dude, what happened?" Greg asked while putting his foot on the bench leaning in.

Nick began to tell them everything.

He explained who Brooke was and how drunk he was that night. He told them about the pictures sent to his house and about them being posted all over Jules' Facebook page. He insisted though, that there was no possible way it could have happened. It made no sense. He shared a crazy love with Jules; he had been from the start. He was happily married and lived for her and their daughter. Nick felt his tears rising but pushed them back down inside.

"Wait, what do you mean there were pictures sent anonymously?" Catherine asked. "_**Who**_ would do that?"

Nick hadn't thought that far ahead. He had been dealing with the sadness of losing his wife over it to even think about **where **the pictures came from and **who **would be so sick to not only take them but to then send them to his wife.

He looked up at his friends.

"I have no idea."

"Nick, who has it out for you like that?" Greg asked confused. He wasn't understanding this whole debacle either. After all, Nick was a likable guy. He and Jules had no enemies, and yet this was a wicked thing to do to someone.

"I think you should call this Brooke chick and see what the fuck is up," Greg frowned.

"In the meantime, Nick, I think you should go home," Catherine said softly with concern, "you can't work like this."

"Yeah, man, I can cover you," Greg offered.

"Yeah Nicky, we got your back, trust me," Catherine gave his shoulder a squeeze. "I'm going to tell Grissom you're sick."

"Yeah, tell him Nick has a stomach bug," Greg looked over at Catherine, "if Griss thinks you could spread that around he will throw you out of here himself!"

Nick normally would have protested and insisted he was strong enough to carry on with his job, but he was too devastated to concentrate on anything but the realization that Jules was moving forward. He could hear in her voice how hardened and numb she had made herself become. He could feel it; it was only a matter of time before she would shut him out and turn him off completely. He knew her. She would never put up with him cheating on her; even though he was sure it couldn't be true.

He looked down at the floor and nodded. He was taking them up on his offer; he needed to get out of there.

"Where are you staying, Nick? Do you need a place to stay?" Greg asked him sincerely. "You can stay at my place if you need to, man."

"You wanna know where I am?" Nick looked over at him. "I am staying at Warrick's. His house is empty with him in Hawaii. I knew I could crash there, but once he gets home… Oh God, just wait until he hears about this," Nick looked down again, twisted his wedding band around and around and shook his head feeling sick.

"Well, he'll be gone another week," Catherine reminded him, "…let's hope you get this all figured out."

"Call that chick, Nick. I'm telling' ya, call her and ask her what the fuck went on," Greg insisted.

Nick nodded as he removed his vest and put it back in his locker. Grabbing his duffel bag from his locker, he threw it over his shoulder and walked toward the door.

"I owe you guys for this," he tried to smile.

"No you don't, Nick," Greg shook his head.

"No, you really don't Nicky. We want to see you get this worked out too. We care very much about all three of you, you know that," Catherine said walking over to him and giving his a heartfelt hug.

Nick nodded and looked at the floor ashamed.

As the locker room door closed behind him he heard Greg yell out…"If you need anything, let us know."

Once Nick was gone from the locker room, Catherine and Greg looked at each other shocked.

"Never saw that coming," Greg said feeling bad for his friend.

"Me neither, but Greg?" Catherine closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Yeah?"

"I gotta tell you what is really frightening me right now..." she stared off.

"What? What?" he asked unsure.

"The wrath of Warrick," she said and took a deep breath exhaling loudly.

The two of them remained silent and in deep thought as they walked together to Grissom's office.

* * *

Walking through the parking lot on his way to his truck Nick got a text.

_Stomach bug? Take 2 days plz._

He breathed a sigh of relief. Catherine and Greg got to Grissom and played the stomach bug card. The last time Grissom got a stomach flu, it was so bad he swore he would rather be dead than to get something like that again.

Obviously Catherine and Greg knew the right thing to say to Grissom to make him not even want Nick to come to his office and ask to leave. Grissom wouldn't want that shit anywhere near him.

Nick clipped his phone back onto his side and clicked the alarm to open his truck before throwing his duffel bag into the back seat.

He was really happy to be able to just go home….even if it meant the only home he had to go to was Warrick's empty one.


	11. Bursting Bubbles

_**Bursting Bubbles**_

* * *

He rubbed his palm down his face as he drove to the house and felt the scruff he forgot to shave, which was something he meant to do because Emma sometimes complained that it was too scratchy, but he had completely forgot. He had time to do it, but he was so preoccupied with getting over there to see them that it just slipped his mind until now.

Nick looked at the time displaying on the radio clock. He knew he was early. He couldn't help it; the eagerness of spending time with his daughter, and seeing his wife, was overwhelming. Before he turned down his block he realized he could see them playing on the front lawn. Instead of driving directly there, he stopped and watched. His house was only three houses in so he could see them clearly from his truck parked at the Stop sign.

He could see the bubbles floating through the air and his little girl jumping and chasing them. She popped the bubbles as fast as she could and clapped excitedly when they burst. He couldn't hear her laughing but he could see it. She was laughing hysterically because her mother just came up behind her, grabbed her off of her feet and spun her before they both fell over into the grass. They were both laughing. Nick gave a quiet laugh too. He loved seeing them playing and laughing, although part of him wondered if Jules laughter meant she was no longer feeling sadness. If she was through feeling sadness, then did that mean she detached herself completely from him? That worried him.

Nick took off his baseball cap, ran his fingers through his hair, and put it back on. He watched Jules get up from the ground, walk to the front stoop and sit down preparing to blow more bubbles while Emma anxiously waited for them to float her way. Nick took a deep breath and turned down onto his block driving to the house.

Pulling into his driveway slowly, he saw Jules' face. He witnessed her huge smile literally melt off her face as soon as she saw him. Her happiness had washed away instantly and it left nothing but sadness and disappointment underneath. He knew then, she wasn't detached at all…underneath that smile was an enormous amount of pain, and what killed him the most was it was sadness **he **caused.

She was still hurting inside. He didn't know whether that was a good thing or bad. He did not want her to hurt, but selfishly he was relieved to see she hadn't completely detached from her feelings, closing him off completely. Their eyes locked and neither of them could look away from their stare until they both heard the delightful scream coming from their little girl.

"_**My Daddy home!**_" Emma exclaimed excitedly.

Jules got up from the red brick stairs, reached inside the front door, and grabbed something. Closing the door behind her, she walked down and over to the car. Nick couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was only wearing faded, weathered, blue jeans, but damn she wore them well. Even in just a pair of jeans and a baby doll tee shirt his wife was beautiful. It made him hold his breath a second before breathing out and opening his truck door.

"There's my Munchkin!" Nick said watching his daughter run to him.

His heart nearly burst at how much his daughter adored him. His little girl was genuinely thrilled to see him. He picked her up and squeezed her as tight as he could before she complained that it hurt.

Jules walked up beside them.

"Hi, Nick," Jules said flatly and handed him a pink and black duffel bag. "Take this with you."

Nick instinctively leaned in to kiss her hello, but she took a step back and stared at him coldly.

She wanted to kiss him. Everything inside her needed to feel his lips on hers. But, just as badly as she wanted his kiss was as badly as it made her sick. She couldn't get the image of Brooke's lips on his and that made it impossible for her to feel his touch.

Nick felt his stomach sink from her chilly greeting. He knew it was well deserved but he couldn't help but feel the sting.

"There is a change of clothing in there…in case she has an accident or whatever…just in case you need them" she paused, "You can keep them in your trunk as a spare if you want… for next time."

His stomach sank again. '_for next time' - _he hated those words. He hated them because it meant he would be _scheduling_ another visit with his daughter instead of just being with her as he normally would. He never needed to keep a spare set of his daughter's clothes in his trunk because he would always just grab something from the house to take with him or just be able to run home for her to change.

Nick nodded and took the bag from her; he hung his head as he did.

"You takin' me somewhere, Daddy?" Emma's eyes grew wide. "Why you not comin' in my house? Why, Dad? Why?" she repeated herself.

"Daddy wants to take you out, Honey," Jules interjected.

"You come too?" she asked her mother with her head tilting slightly.

"No, Baby, not today," Jules said reaching out and stroking her daughters face as she hung from her father's hip.

"Why you no come, Mom?" she asked squinting and looking just like her father.

"Not today," Jules answered and swallowed hard.

"Why, Mommy? Why?" Emma persisted.

"I have some things I need to do, Baby," she answered again with her heart shattering each time.

"Why Mom? Why you no comin'?" she asked the typical curious question of a toddler. But it was just too much sadness to handle and Jules could hardly take it.

"Well, because you and Daddy are going to go together…just the two of you…you'll do something fun!" she gave a fake smile.

"Why?" she asked again. "Why you no comin'?" she continued.

"**Because I am just NOT coming, Emma, okay!" **she snapped at her.

Her nasty tone surprised Nick and Emma. Jules always had an enormous amount of patience with their daughter. Nick always said she had the patience of a saint. It was usually **him **with less patience, especially if he had a difficult case or a long graveyard shift.

"**NICK**! **DAMN IT! **_**Ya think you could help me out here**_**!" **she said loudly and her voice cracked.

Nick was startled into the realization that he had not said two words since he said "_hello_" to Emma. He wasn't helping Jules at all. He wasn't helping to soothe Emma's confusion or answer her questions. He didn't mean to be so cowardly; he was just so frozen. He couldn't speak.

"I…I…" was all Nick could stutter.

He began to wonder silently, _How was it that he could collect body parts and severed heads and not flinch? _

_How could he watch a bullet be pulled from a corpse's brain and discuss how it entered the skull, but the sight of the pain he caused in his wife's eyes left him speechless?_

Nick looked at his daughter and both he and Jules saw the lip at the same time. It curled down and quivered and her eyebrows furrowed.

Jules looked up to the sky and groaned.

She didn't mean to get nasty with her. _It wasn't her fault her father was a lying, cheating, bastard_, she thought to herself. _It wasn't her fault that her mother wasn't sure her heart would ever mend itself again._

Jules shook her head at Nick, and then spoke again.

"Emma…I'm sorry," she said still with a slight lack of patience in her tone, "Just go with Daddy and have a good time, okay? Mommy will be here waiting for you."

At that moment, Jules wished her daughter wasn't so sensitive. This whole situation was hard enough. But Emma was just a child and didn't deserve to be caught in the middle. She was an innocent little girl. Jules knew all of that but she couldn't breathe well enough to handle it.

She just needed her daughter to go spend time with her father…the man Jules missed spending time with…the man she missed with every fiber of her being.


	12. Worn Out

_**Worn Out**_

* * *

The air was getting cooler and the breeze started to pick up slightly. Nick was relieved that Jules had put a sweat jacket inside the pink and black duffel bag that sat on his front seat. Grabbing it as he got out of the truck, he held it under his arm as he pulled Emma out of her car seat. Kneeling down in front of his daughter, he helped her put it on and she gave him a smile that melted Nick's heart.

"You think it'll be lil bit cold on me outside, right Daddy?" she grinned only inches from his face.

"Uh huh, I'm kind of thinking' that it might, Sweet Pea," he gave her a Nick Stokes grin back and pressed her nose after he zipped her jacket up. They held hands as they walked from his truck and over to the playground.

The time he was spending with Emma was priceless for Nick. He absolutely loved being with her, he just wished he could get Jules out from inside of his head. It didn't seem right that she wasn't standing next to him pushing their daughter higher on the swing. With Jules not being a part of their afternoon, it just seemed like there was a huge piece missing.

He felt his cell phone vibrate and without looking at who was calling he answered it with one hand and continued to push Emma on the swing with the other.

"Stokes," he said.

"Nick, it's me," Jules said.

"Hey…" he said softly.

"Um, uh, I just wanted to check on everything. Has Em eaten lunch?" she stuttered as she asked.

"Yeah, we ate about an hour ago and we're at the playground now," he said and waited hoping for a long shot that she would say she would meet them there.

"**And **I did put her jacket on," Nick smiled knowing she would be asking him that.

"Oh good, okay, do you think you'll bring her back by dinner time?" she asked.

"Um, I guess there's no chance on the three of us going to get dinner, right?" he asked hopeful.

"Nick, please…" she didn't want him to know she thought his comment was a little funny so she kept her tone flat.

"Okay, around 5:00 then," he said sadly.

Jules didn't wait for a goodbye she just hung up sounding cold and distant.

* * *

Nicky pulled slowly into his driveway, Jules wasn't outside but he knew she was expecting they would be arriving very soon because he saw she left the front door open. He wished she wouldn't leave doors open like that. He liked things locked tight. In his line of work, he thinks about every possible crime scenario and it can cause paranoia if he let it.

Looking back into the backseat he saw his little girl had fallen sound asleep . She had a busy day with her dad. She was worn out.

Nick hopped out of his truck and opened the back door so he could carefully unbuckle and get her out of her car seat. Once he scooped his baby into his arms he turned around and saw Jules standing on the front steps watching.

"Aw, she fell asleep?" Jules smiled softly. "Well, she usually naps during the day…yeah, you, you already know that," she corrected herself.

Nick nodded.

"I wore her out, I guess."

He normally would have grabbed her ass and given her a smart ass comment about how he would like to wear her out in a different way, but he caught himself fast.

"Okay, I'll take her in," she told him reaching for her as Nick got almost to the top of the brick steps.

"No, no, it's okay, I got her," he said not relinquishing his role as parent.

Jules wasn't pleased to see him walk into the house. Not because she hated him or was hiding something, but because seeing him inside the house made everything feel normal and okay again…and it wasn't. It was an illusion. It was a facade and she didn't want it to weaken her.

Nick carried his daughter into the den and placed her on the couch like he had done so many, many, times before. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly on her forehead, whispering to her.

"I love you, princess. Daddy will always love you **and **mommy," he kissed her again and looked up at Jules who was standing just a few feet away.

Turning toward her he tried to talk to her.

"Sweetheart, since she is asleep do…" he began before getting cut off by Jules.

"Please don't call me that…**don't** call me that," she told him coldly.

It hurt her to hear him call her little terms of endearments. He didn't deserve to have an intimate connection of nicknames for her.

She shivered, suddenly remembering him calling Brooke "Darlin'" when he first saw her at the church. She hadn't thought twice about that before.

Nick pressed his lips together and nodded understanding his error. He leaned his hip against the arm of the couch and was getting ready to ask her again if maybe they could talk but Jules surprised him first.

"Well, um, since Em is asleep and…" she looked at the floor before continuing, "…there really is no other reason for you to be here right now," she said and looked back up at him.

With their eyes locked with one another they stayed silent for a very long minute. Finally, as he stared back at her, he broke the silence.

"You **really **hate me, don't you?" he asked softly feeling ashamed.

"Yeah…" she nodded, "…. yeah I do," she stared back at him emotionless trying to mask that it was a bold faced lie.

Nick winced. He was not expecting to hear that. He thought she would have told him "no" if for no other reason then to make him feel a little better.

He swallowed hard and took a deep, shaking breath.

Jules has just admitted to hating him and, as much as it hurt to hear those words from her lips, he knew…

He knew he deserved it.


	13. The Curtain Closes

**_The Curtain Closes_  
**

* * *

She didn't let him know it, but from behind their living room curtain, she was watching him walk down the driveway and get into his truck. She bit her lip with the hope that it would keep it from quivering. She had acted so cold to him. She had looked at him with such disdain and told him she hated him, but the real truth was she still loved him deeply and really wanted to sit down with him and talk.

Her real feelings weren't as hardened as she was trying to force herself to believe. If anything, she fought hard not to let him kiss her hello. It took effort to not reach out, grab him and hug him tightly. She missed his strong arms around her. She missed his scent and missed hearing his heart beat when she rested her head on his chest. She missed feeling the way she used to feel when he merely touched her.

Jules shook her head back and forth slowly.

"_You did it again, Cowboy, you've invaded my thoughts_," she whispered.

She couldn't help letting him stay there in her mind; she didn't want him to leave just yet. It was bad enough she chased him from their house…she wasn't ready to chase him from her brain yet.

She pushed the curtain closed once Nick drove away, and for a brief instant she wanted to run to the phone and call him on his cell and ask him to come back. Ask him to come back and sit with her to figure out where they went wrong. She wanted to ask him the question that hasn't stopped playing over and over in her head: _**"Why did he throw it all away for a night with Brooke?"**_

More questions began to consume her.

_What if she was wrong? _She hated doubting him loyalty...although he never denied being with her, only that he didn't remember it.

_But what if Nick really doesn't remember being with that bimbo? …Should that even make a difference? … Do you throw in the towel if someone screws around and doesn't remember it? Does that count? _

These questions flooded her brain. She just couldn't understand it. Part of her didn't even believe any of it. She found it extremely hard to comprehend since the she and Nick shared something so rare, intense, and beautiful. She really wanted to believe he was innocent, but every time she started to second guess herself she would look at the pictures that showed her the actual **proof **that he was indeed with Brooke Latham that night.

"_What did Brooke have to give him that __**she **__couldn't_?"

She stared down at the floor and felt sadness and a tinge of shame.

She felt ashamed that she obviously didn't give Nick everything he needed…if she did he wouldn't have wanted to…

"_**STOP IT**_!" she swore she heard her grandmother's voice. "Now Baby Girl, that is just crazy talk! **YOU **have nothing to be ashamed of…**YOU **did nothing wrong…you have given that boy your heart and soul…it's **him **that ought be sorry!"

Jules nodded as if she was understanding and answering her Grams.

Jules frowned. It was true, she was thinking stupid thoughts! Her Grams was absolutely right. God forbid Warrick ever, **ever **heard her blame herself for this mess. He would be furious and he would tell her to stop feeling sorry for herself and to grab hold of the strength he knew she had inside of her.

"_**THIS is not my fault**_!" she said out loud.

The **ONLY **thing she had to be sorry for was snapping at her daughter, and letting Emma see her get nasty with Nick. She didn't know how she let that happen, but she did and she was sorry…anything else was on Nick's shoulders.

Straightening herself up and throwing her warped thoughts away, Jules walks into the kitchen. After making herself a cup of tea, she grabs the manila envelope off the counter and sits down alone at her kitchen table. Sipping her tea slowly she tried hard to block him out of her head, but he continued to rule her thoughts.

She knew of only one way to keep him out of her head and harden her heart to him. She placed her cup down, reached for the envelope and stared it a second before opening it. With her hands shaking she pulled out the photos and looked at each of them. She felt her throat tightening and the tears filling up in her eyes.

The image of Brooke's mouth on Nick's made her stomach churn again. The sight of that sneaky bitch on top of her husband made her furious.

Yes, of course she wanted to believe him. She desperately wished to forgive him. Every part of her wanted to forget the whole thing…**but she couldn't when she looked at these pictures.**

As much as she loved Nick, she was nobody's fool. She deserved all of him or else she wanted nothing at all.

And she wouldn't settle for anything less.


	14. Down but Not Out

_**Down But Not Out**_

* * *

His heart was still hurting as he walked silently down his driveway and to his truck. He got in, took a sad, deep breath and starting up the engine. As he was fastening his seat belt he spotted the pink and black duffel bag sitting next to him on his front seat. He thought about running it back in to her, but he just didn't have it in him to go back again. He felt beaten down and torn up. He would keep it with him "_for next time_." He figured he would spare Jules from having to see his face for yet another time today. She made it very clear that **his **face was not one she wanted to see.

He kept the radio off as he drove because every song that played either reminded him of Jules or worse…the songs teased him about how she can't love him anymore or how life is miserable without her in it. He didn't need to be reminded.

He pulled down Warrick's street and parked outside of his house. He looked over at it and wondered what the hell Warrick was going to say once he returns from vacation. Nick will certainly have to take Sanders up on his offer and crash there next. Lord knows Warrick was not going to let him stay with him. Warrick is going to want to kill him, that Nick knew for sure.

He turned off his engine, but didn't get out right away, instead he just sat inside his truck staring out ahead of him. He began to think about who would take those pictures of him with Brooke and then send them to his wife.

_What would be the point in doing that? _

_And who would want to hurt __**her **__that badly that they would go a step further and plaster them on her FaceBook wall? _

This just seemed off. He needed to make sense of all of this.

_What exactly happened? How did it begin? Was he really __**that **__drunk? Where was everyone else when they were hooking up? Why hadn't anyone told him the next day? _

He just couldn't wrap his head around any of it. The questions flew through his head at top speed.

Nick reached for his cell phone and dialed 411 to get the number for Brooke Latham. Grabbing a pen from the console and jotting down her number on an old receipt, Nick was going to do his best to get some answers.

The phone rang three times before a she answered.

"Hello?"

"Brooke?" he said quietly.

"Yes," she replied.

"It's Nick."

"_**Oh my God! Hi, Nicky!**_" she squealed with delight. "What's up! I was hoping to hear from you."

"Oh yeah? Why's that?" he asked surprised by her comment.

"Welllll, you know…we had such a fun time at Josh and Anna's wedding that I thought maybe…I don't know," she giggled, "I guess I was hoping you would want to talk to me again soon."

Nick felt anger rising. _Did she think this was a joke? She knew he was married and in love with his wife and daughter. Did she think he would just fuck around on them like it was okay?_

"Brooke, I don't know what you are talking about, but I saw the pictures," he could feel his jaw tensing up. "**Why **would you send those pictures to my wife?"

"Pictures? What pictures?" she asked sounding confused.

"Those pictures of you and me! Who took them, Brooke?" he said angrily. "And why do I have **no **recollection of ever being with you that night!?"

"Well that's an insult, Nicky!" she said with an attitude. "**YOU **came on to **ME**!"

"**Bullshit, Brooke! There is NO way I would do that!" **he yelled.

"O**h, really? That's not what your dick said**!" she yelled back. "Geez Nicky, I thought you were calling me to tell me what a good time you had!"

"Brooke, why would I? Why would I hook up with you now when I told you years ago I wanted to leave off as friends?"

"Friends, Nicky? _**FRIENDS**_?" she gasped, "**We were together all through college!**"

"**No**, no, we **dated**, we hooked up, we had fun…but I never committed to you…_**YOU **_always wanted more than I could give you! We had a lot of fun together…**that was it!**" he insisted just as he always had.

"**NICK!" **she yelled into the phone angrily.

"No Brooke, I made that clear to you **ALL **through college but you never wanted to hear it. You wanted to insist we were as close as Rob and Sherri, Ship and Amber, Josh and Anna; **YOU **wanted to be a couple like they were. I told you we were good the way we were," he said fiercely. "I told you when you followed me to Las Vegas that you and I together wasn't something I wanted. So tell me, Brooke, why would I suddenly want you now? And why would you even want _**me **_when I couldn't give you what you needed then and I am taken now?"

"So what are you getting at, Nick? Are you saying you want to blame **ME **for your infidelity? Puhleeze! You are pathetic!" she snapped.

"I don't believe it happened," he insisted.

"Well, it did. And you have six different pictures to prove it!" she yelled.

"But **WHO **took them, Brooke?" he asked again.

"**I don't know!" **she yelled back**.**

"**What do you mean you don't know? You were there and you seem to remember everything! You don't remember a camera? You don't remember someone snapping pictures?" **he yelled.

"Nope," she said flatly before slamming down the phone leaving him with nothing but a dial tone.

* * *

Nick continued to sit in his truck a few minutes mulling over their conversation. Something was wrong with what she said.

He closed his eyes and thought back to the day Jules threw him out.

He pictured himself standing in their entrance hall and opening the envelope. He remembered clearly looking at three pictures and putting them back into the envelope without looking at any others. He hadn't gone through them all so he wasn't sure exactly how many were in there.

Nick opened his eyes and squinted with confusion.

_If she didn't know about any pictures, then how did she know there were __**six **__pictures sent? _

No, no this was not adding up. Brooke was hiding something.

Nick bit the inside of his cheek and decided he needed to get those pictures from Jules. He wanted to look at them again and he wanted to dust them and analyze them to see exactly **who **touched them.

He was going to get to the bottom of this.

He wasn't just going to swallow this without a fight.


	15. A Fine Line

**_A Fine Line_  
**

* * *

As he turned the corner into his cul de sac he spotted her SUV in the driveway so he had high hopes that he would get to see not only his wife today, but his little girl too. He knew it was probably easier for her if she didn't have to look at him but he couldn't help but feel relief when he saw she was home…he wanted to see them.

He couldn't blame her for staying away from him. He was just as sick at the sight of those pictures as she was, although she would never believe that. He knew how hard it was for her to see him. He knew because it was extremely hard for him too. Just hearing the sadness in her voice was bad enough, but seeing it in her eyes was even worse.

Nick was surprised she wasn't gone though. He had told her he might stop by at some point today to get his LVPD vest he had forgotten when he left it drying on the back of the dining room chair a few days ago. Maybe that was a good sign, he thought. Maybe she wasn't as eager to get the hell away from him as she was.

Nick rang the bell and waited several minutes before he finally used his key to open the front door. He called out to them but only silence answered him. He closed the front door and walked in farther looking around for signs of Jules and Emma. He peeked into the dining room and saw his vest still hanging on the dining room chair, just where she left it to dry. He walked over to it, took it off the chair, held it in his hand and silently looked around the room. Everything looked the same, and yet everything was so different. He shook his head sadly.

Nick decided he needed to get that manila envelope and the pictures it contained too. He didn't want to see the images ever again, but he wanted Sanders to take a look at them. He needed things to be checked out because he was still having a hard time with it. The way he left off with Brooke left him uneasy and he needed answers.

He had called Brooke again the day after he first made contact with her to see if he could get any more information out of her. She hung up on him when she heard his voice. He called her back the next day but he didn't leave a message when her machine came on, instead he waited a few hours and tried her again. He was determined to get answers. So when he called her again and her machine came on he made sure he left her a message…

"_Brooke, it's Nick. I still want to talk to you … I have some questions and I want to ask you what you remember about those pictures. I want you to walk me through that night because I am sorry if it hurts you but…I don't remember anything. Call me back."_

It was a waste of time. She didn't call back; so after a couple days passed he called her one last time. This time she picked up. Unfortunately, Nick wouldn't get any information or any help from her. She was still mad that he reminded her that he had no love for her now nor did he ever. He considered her a close friend from college and that was it. It infuriated her that he didn't even consider their frequent "hook ups" a relationship. She was ready to bury him, not help him. She was too vindictive to get anywhere with.

All he cared about now was finding a way to get his wife back. He couldn't imagine life without her in it. Being away from his wife and daughter one day was horrendous, one week was unlivable.

Nick wondered where Jules and Emma were so he went into the kitchen and looked around. He looked out the kitchen window to see if they were playing on the backyard swing set but the yard only contained Emma's sandbox, play house, and an array of other toys his daughter had scattered around the yard. Nick chewed his bottom lip and wondered who they went out with. He concluded that Trista picked them up and the three of them went out.

He wondered what Trista was saying about him. She was their dear friend and it bothered him that her opinion of him would be shattered. He wondered if she saw the pictures of him with Brooke too. He shook his head in disgust.

Nick looked around for that manila envelope that contained the pictures. He looked around on the counter and then he went over to the desk. He didn't see the envelope, only a stack of mail that he leafed through in case there was anything he needed to tend to. He saw that Jules had already begun paying all the bills as if everything was normal; sadly, nothing could be further from the truth.

Nick turned and headed into the den and bent down and picked up the worn, tattered blanket he recognized instantly as his daughter's "woobie". He held it up to his nose, pressing it to his face, trying to inhale the scent of his daughter. My God he missed her. He missed holding her on the couch in the evening before he went in to work. He always knew when she was about to fall asleep in his arms when she held her "woobie" up to her nose while sucking her thumb. He wanted desperately to hold her in his arms like that now. He missed her…he missed his happy life. He hated waking up every day now. He hated going to a job he once loved. He hated to sleep because he dreamed of being happy with them again only to wake up and realize it wasn't true; it was only his dreams.

Nick looked at his watch and scratched the back of his head.

"_Where did you put those pictures, Darlin'_?" he wondered.

He knew she wouldn't throw them out or shred them. He knew her all too well. She would keep them so that if she ever had a moment of weakness, if she ever missed him too much, she would look at those pictures and it would help her to continue to harden herself. With each glance at any of those six pictures, she would build a wall around herself brick by brick. He was absolutely positive that she still had those pictures. He was hoping she kept the manila envelope they came in too; he wanted DNA taken off the seal…he wanted to see if Brooke Latham had more to do with those pictures then she was letting on. Someone was out to fuck Nick over and he wanted to know who.

Walking back into the kitchen, Nick put his vest and Emma's blanket on the counter and headed down the hall and up the flight of stairs. As he went up he stopped at every picture that hung on the wall. **If** he had happiness inside him, he might have smiled because he knew Jules did that very same thing when she would go to his mom and dad's. But he had nothing but grief inside him, so he didn't smile. He just stared at each picture silently. He looked at the picture of his daughter when she was only a few months old. He stared at another, a black and white photo of Emma catching bubbles in a hat. He reached out of touched the glass that covered the photo. He wished he could touch her face. He stared longer at the picture of himself and Jules holding Emma as an infant. They were so happy.

Nick stopped midway up the staircase and touched a blank area on the wall. He tilted his head and frowned with confusion before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He knew. It was where their wedding picture once hung. She had taken it down. Why? Why would she yank it off the wall so quickly? Nick shook his head. He was hurt by how fast she could shut him down. Clenching his fists he almost punched a hole in the wall but he stopped and went up the stairs as he intended.

He went into the Master Bedroom and went to the nightstand to look inside the drawers for those pictures. As he knelt down and opened the drawer he looked over and saw something pushed under the throw pillow on the bed. He pulled it out and held it up. It was the framed wedding picture that once hung on the hallway wall. He closed his eyes knowing why it was there…she looked at it at night. He knew her, and he knew she cried herself to sleep with it. He felt immense guilt and shame.

Suddenly he stopped dead and stood up. He heard something. He heard sounds coming from his office; it sounded like his printer. He called out to Jules but still no answer. He thought about getting his gun from the safe in the side drawer but he really didn't think the noises sounded threatening. He went down the hall to check it out.

Peering inside the office he saw Jules in front of the computer. Her back was to the door and she had her I-Pod earphones on while printing something out. For a brief second he feared they were airline tickets but he pushed that thought away. When he walked farther into the room, she spotted his movements and screamed, jumping out of her chair. Whipping off her earphones and tossing her I-pod onto the desk, she lashed out and punched him directly in his chest.

"**YOU ASSHOLE**!" she screamed.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he said holding up his hands, "I called out to you but you didn't hear me!" he defended.

Jules grabbed her chest and breathed hard.

"_**You scared the shit out of me**__!" _she frowned, "_**What the fuck are you even doing here**_?" she said nastier than she had been before.

"I, um, I came for my forensics vest and to grab some things," he explained. "Where is Emma?" he asked.

"With Trista. I needed time alone to sort things out so she took her out for me. I didn't want her to hear me on the phone with my lawyer," she said matter of factly and with hatred in her voice.

"**WHAT**?" he yelled at her. "_**Why? Why are you rushing this? Why can't we talk? You went out and got a lawyer? Jesus Christ!"**_ Nick said angrily.

"_**Go fuck yourself, Nick**_," she spat, "**YOU WANT ME? ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT? OR MAYBE YOU JUST WANT YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO!**** YOU ARE A FUCKING LIAR! ****" **she screamed before reaching over and grabbing the first thing she could get her hands on, whipping it directly at Nick's head. Nick ducked and a coffee mug sailed over his head shattering against the wall causing a tea bag to fly toward the door.

"_**What the hell**_?" he said shocked beyond belief.

Jules went toward him and pushed him with all her might in his chest.

"_**I fucking hate you, Nick! I fucking hate you!" **_she screamed as she pushed him.

Nick's mouth hung open. He didn't know she had gotten to this point. _A lawyer? She hates me? What happened?_

"_**What are you doing?" **_he yelled, backing away from her pushes.

"**What **_**am I **_**doing**?" she screamed, "**What are **_**YOU**_** doing**?" she turned and walked to the printer. She ripped a printed paper from the tray and slammed it face down hard into his chest. He took it, looked and saw it was a printout of his cell phone usage. She had accessed it online.

"**GO MAKE SOME MORE CALLS TO BROOKE LATHAM, ASSHOLE!" **she screamed.

With hatred in her eyes she continued, **"Yeah, and I listened to you pretend to beg? Ohhh, I'm sorrrry…Ohhh I miss you bayyybeee…I swear Honnney, I don't remember annny of it!" **she exaggerated his southern accent as she imitated him.

"**And I doubted myself!? You had me wondering if **_**I**_** was wrong! I had pictures in my hand and STILL I thought maybe…just maybe… those images weren't true…." **she yelled loudly and her hands were shaking.

"**GO FUCK YOURSELF YOU LYING BASTARD!" **she went to storm by him.

Nick reached out and grabbed her arm roughly, holding it tightly to keep her from walking away.

Without hesitation she spun back and punched him square in the mouth.

Nick was shocked. He never saw this tough street girl side of her. He knew she had it in her but he never, ever saw it directed at him.

"**DO **_**NOT**_** TOUCH ME**!" she shook her hand back and forth at her side to dull the sting of her punch.

Nick rubbed his jaw a second before telling her why he called Brooke.

"Listen to me, I called her because…"

"Ohhhh please, ya know what, Nick? I don't want to hear your bullshit," she clenched her jaw with sheer fury.

"**GODDAMN IT, LISTEN TO ME**!" he screamed at her frowning.

She stared at him. She never heard him yell at her like that.

"_**I called her because I wanted to ask her what the fuck happened…how it happened…IF it really DID happen and who the fuck wanted to take pictures of it happening!" **_he spoke loudly.

"What's the matter? You mad there is proof?" she rolled her eyes.

"**NO! It doesn't make sense! I am in love with **_**you**_**…no drunken moment could make me forget that…**_**NOTHING**_ _**could change the way I feel about you**__!" _his voice cracked and lowered.

He walked toward to touch her but she backed into the wall to move away from him.

"Soooo, you called her to **ask **her?" she laughed sarcastically. "**FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES!?"** she yelled directly at him.

She shook her head, " You really, really think I am an idiot don't you…Wow, I thought you knew I wasn't one of your usual stupid bimbos…"

She paused, "**FIVE TIMES, NICK! Not one, not two…FIVE!" **she screamed and stormed out down the hall and into their bedroom.

Nick followed her.

He watched her go to the closet and grab a duffel bag and tear it off the shelf. He watched as she threw it forcefully on the bed. Spotting their wedding picture on the bed she grabbed it, spun around, and whipped into the wall. It shattered loudly and glass flew in all directions; even the frame had splintered from the force.

Nick looked at it broken on the floor and saw their smiling images looking back at him through broken glass and wood.

He looked up and watched her walk to his dresser, pull open his drawers, and start throwing his clothes out of the them maniacally. She was out of control.

Finally, Nick went to her and grabbed her by her upper arms and held her tightly in front of him.

"**STOP**! Just stop!" he said loudly, looking her directly in the eyes. He knew her all too well. He knew she was breaking and her survival mode was to fight back.

Jules wouldn't look at him, instead she started to kick him in his legs. He winced but kept his hard grip on her. He wouldn't stop holding her and continued looking directly into her face until she had no choice but to look back…and she did.

Her fury was wild. She knew she was out of control but she didn't care. Feeling rage was so much better than feeling the hideous pain. She would rather fight then feel. But he held her back. He held her tightly and wouldn't let her go. She was trapped in his grip. She fought him hard but when their eyes met she knew she had no chance. She knew he knew her too well and it brought her to her knees.

Nick felt her droop from under his hold. He continued to stare at her and tell her softly to "_Just stop… __**Stop**_" until her face crumbled and she began to shake with sobs. He went to the floor with her and let her punch him with both fists on his chest in slow motion and not much strength behind them anymore as she cried and cried. She was broken in his arms. He held her head to his shoulder and let her weep. His own lip quivered and he saw his own tears fall into her hair.

"_I am so sorry, Babe_…" he whispered. "_I never, ever wanted to hurt you_."

He repeated himself over and over until his own words failed.

His chest and shoulders shook from his own tears and it made her take her face out from the crook of his arm and look up at him. She winced at the sight of his genuine tear streaked face. They stared at each other watching each others tears stream until Jules reached out, and wiped the side of his face. She couldn't help it.

He did the same and she let him. He put his forehead to hers…and she let him. He brushed his nose against hers before their lips touched. They both held each others face with both hands, leaned in slowly, and kissed each other while crying at the same time.

Through their tears they kissed each other tenderly with a raw emotion that showed the fine line between love and hate.


	16. Between Love and Hate

_**Between Love and Hate**_

* * *

Time moved slowly as Nick and Jules sat crumpled together on their bedroom floor leaning against the dresser. Through their tears they kissed slowly and with tangible emotion. They needed each other in order to breathe again. Jules didn't want to give in and kiss him but she needed to feel him. She needed his arms around her and to feel the love he still had for her. She felt the intensity of his love, and because of that, it blocked out all thoughts of his infidelity. It made her forget. It made the hideous pain stop, even if it was just for a little while.

Nick held her face and he could feel her need for him just from her touch. He felt the pain she was carrying in her heart through her kiss. He was so sorry. He was genuinely overwhelmed with sorrow and grief. He loved this woman with a love he never knew he had inside him. He kissed her with his soul.

Their warm tears mixed together on their faces and their hearts melted together as they kissed each other on their bedroom floor. Jules slowly reached around his neck and pulled him closer. He leaned into her as if he wanted her to crawl inside him so she could feel how much adoration he felt for her.

Without breaking from their kisses Jules lowered herself to the floor with Nick's body over hers. He blanketed her with his entire being. As the tears fell and their kisses unending, Jules didn't even realize that her fingers were unbuttoning each button on his shirt. As his shirt hung half way open, she allowed her hands and fingers sneak inside, slide around over his shoulders and back, and feel his warm skin underneath them.

The feeling of her caressing hands made Nick's heart beat faster and the fire picked up in his kiss. Nick and Jules had a rare sexual chemistry that was undeniable. Jules always joked that they should never be left alone in a room together without supervision. Once their passion ignited, the two of them caused a fire storm that could not be contained or tamed. The spark was beginning to ignite now and it took them both by surprise.

Nick's mouth left her lips and trailed through her wet tears down to her sweet smelling neck. He loved her scent; loved her soft skin, loved the feeling of her hair on his face.

Jules let her head roll to the side as he kissed her neck and she pulled his shirt tails out of his tan pants before continuing to unbutton the rest of his shirt. She reached back up under his shirt and pushed it over and off his shoulders exposing his chiseled chest as she did. Her hands felt every inch of him. Nick took her cue and reached for the bottom of her little, white and pink t-shirt. Pulling herself up from the area rug they were lying on, she lifted her arms and allowed her shirt to come up and off. He tossed it thoughtlessly to the side never taking his eyes off of her. She stared back at him as she lay herself back down on the rug pulling him back to her by his shoulders.

She didn't have any thoughts or reservations when her hands reached for the buckle on his belt. She felt unconscious to the fact that she was unbuttoning his pants and unzipping his zipper.

Nick let his hands roam around her body, and he kicked off his shoes as he caressed her sides and hips before pushing his hands underneath her and maneuvering the clasp on the back of her bra and unhooking it was ease. She felt chills when the bra stroked against her as he removed it from her and tossed it away from them. He leaned back onto her so he could feel her bare chest connect with his.

Making his way to the front of her soft, pink, sweatpants, he pulled the drawstring and felt them loosen around her tiny waist. Together in unison they lowered each others pants over their hips. Nick felt his hard-on bursting through his boxers. Jules felt their breathing pick up and they rapidly kicked off their pants as they kissed each other intimately.

"Nick...," she whispered and tears filled her closed eyes once again.

"My God.. I love you," he whispered back between kisses.

Jules opened her eyes and tears spilled from them. She stared back at Nick whose eyes were focused on hers.

"What are we doing?" she whispered in a pleading tone.

Nick reached over and held her face on one side with his palm. He leaned in, pressed his forehead against hers. He could feel tears well up in his eyes and he leaned in to kiss her lovingly. He couldn't speak; only his kiss was his answer. She kissed him back with desire.

The two of them became wild with passion. They were unstoppable. It was too late to think about what they were doing. Nick put one arm under her back and the other under her knees. He lifted her up off the area rug that covered their hard wood floors and he brought her over to their soft, king size bed and laid her down on top of the thick down comforter. She stared up at him beckoning him forward with her eyes alone. He crawled up onto the bed and covered her with his body once again.

Jules reached into Nick's boxers and softly gripped his enormously hard dick. She let her clutching hand glide up and down it, tugging it loosely before removing it completely from it's boxer short prison.

Nick took her cue and reached for her panties, pulling them down slowly. Jules wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek before attacking his neck. She smelled him. She breathed him. She melted into his flesh.

Nick grabbed his cock and began to position himself for entry before suddenly holding back. He stared directly into her eyes. They pleaded with hers. He needed to know if it was okay for him to enter her heart again. He needed her to tell him he could go inside her. Her eyes penetrated into his and showed him a sad vulnerability. He began to think he should put an end to the intimacy in order to protect her. The last thing he wanted to do was take advantage of her pain. He couldn't hurt her anymore. He loved her too much.

Nick closed his eyes and whispered to her slowly, "I love you more than I ever knew possible. I never thought I was even capable of hurting you…but I did…I'm so, so sorry," a tear snuck down his face. "I can't take advantage of your pain, Jules. I can't do it," he leaned up and wiped the tear with his forearm.

Preparing to move off of her, she grabbed his head with both hands and pulled it down to hers quickly. Her lips attacked his and he allowed his body to move back over her. She reached down and grabbed his cock for him and led it to her opening. He felt himself push inside her and they both gasped from the sensation.

Jules knew she shouldn't be doing this. She knew it was a bad idea.

_But, if it was so wrong_, she silently asked, _then why does everything about it feel so right? _

Nick slid himself in and out of her slowly, trying to capture the feeling of being inside her completely. He needed to be inside her. To go inside and become one with her. Nick needed her in order to feel emotions that had been dead inside him for the past week without her. He had been yearning to feel their connection again. To feel how they were made for each other.

Jules clung to him. She clung to his shoulders. She wanted his body and she needed his soul. They had something incredible right from the beginning. They were the puzzle pieces that came together to make a beautiful picture...with one piece missing, their beauty was ruined.

She felt him making love to her with every part of his being. They weren't fucking. They weren't having sex. They were making love in the purest possible way. Their emotions were raw and they were holding onto each other with everything they had inside.

Nick began to pick up his pace and he propped himself over her as he did. Looking down at her he told her over and over how much he loves her and how she is everything to him. She didn't answer him. She just stared. She stared because she was suddenly afraid. Afraid she just let her heart be exposed to a man she shouldn't be trusting. His words of sorrow and heartfelt apologies made Jules remember and become very aware of the mistake he made.

As he thrust himself inside her, he closed his eyes from the intense pleasure she was giving him. When he opened his eyes and stared back at her again, he saw instantly her fear and insecurity. He slowed down to nearly a stop and he waited silently.

Jules stared back at him. Her tears dripped down the sides of her face and flooded into her hair. Nick kept still and silent and he felt the fear of losing her again. He took a deep breath as she reached up again and held his face with her hands.

"I hate you," she whispered as she cried. "I do…I hate you so much…" and she cried harder.

With his face in her hands, Nick clenched his eyes tight. He felt sick. He stopped breathing before he opened his eyes to look back at her and tell her how sorry he was again. But when he did she stared back at him and he knew then that she didn't mean it. Her eyes told him…She _**wanted **_to hate him; she wanted to, but she just **couldn't**.

Jules leaned up and kissed him with her entire body and spirit. She knew at that moment that she could tell him she hated him all she wanted, but the love she felt for him was too intense to stifle. She was madly, crazy, insanely in love with Nick and always would be. He began to thrust himself inside her again and again passionately. Jules believed with her entire being, that Nick would never intentionally hurt her.

As they made love with deep emotion, she realized her heart refused to doubt him… regardless of the proof she had in front of her.


	17. The Aftermath

**_The Aftermath_  
**

* * *

She breathed in sync with him as they made love with pure nakedness. She heard his breath grow heavy and he let out a groan and came inside her. She held him tightly as he fell on top of her body completely spent. She draped her arms around his back and felt his skin under her fingertips. She also felt the tears start to fall from her eyes and roll down her cheeks again.

"_What have you done, Jules? Where is your pride?" _She grew horrendously ashamed at her lack of willpower.

Nick felt the warm tears on his cheek. At first he thought it was his own sweat until he felt her chest shudder beneath him from her trying to hold back her cry. He instantly propped himself up, looked down at her, and saw the heartache in her face. He saw the tears welled in her eyes and flowing rapidly down her cheeks. His heart broke at the sight.

"No, no, Baby, no…don't cry, Honey, please," his southern accent was thick as he spoke.

Hearing his southern voice while looking up into his deep brown eyes she completely crumbled. She took her arms off of his back and covered her face with her them. She was silently crying but she was crying hard.

"Oh God, no, no, aw man, what did I do? I should have known…I'm sorry, Honey...I... Oh no, no, no… fuck!" he said with a shaking voice.

Nick rolled off of her onto his back and threw his own arm over his face. He felt tremendous guilt. He took advantage of her vulnerability. He found her when she was at her weakest. He was disgusted with himself.

Jules rolled on to her side away from him. She didn't mean to cry. It wasn't his fault. She **wanted **to be with him. She couldn't **NOT **be with him. But as she heard him pant and then groan as he came, she had a vision of him doing that same thing with Brooke Latham. She wasn't expecting to see that image in her head…it hit her like a bolt of lightning out of no where. She suddenly felt sick in her stomach. She could not believe what she let herself do and feel.

"_What the hell is wrong with you, Jules? I mean really? You have pictures of him with her…a phone bill…what the fuck more do you need?"_

Nick felt her roll over on her side away from him and it sliced his heart in two. He rolled onto his side too and faced the back of her. He reached out and stroked the side of her hair gently. He could feel where her hair was dampened from her tears. He felt horribly guilty. He felt ashamed of himself for making her feel this way.

"_What the hell is wrong with you, Stokes? I mean really? She let her guard down and you take advantage of her…what the fuck more do you want from her?"_

"I'm sorry," were the only two words he manage to whisper out.

Jules couldn't respond. She was so beaten down. Not only did she have pictures of Nick and Brooke together but now phone records that showed 5 different calls he made to her. She really was a blinded fool. How could she let herself believe him? She knew why…she loved him so much that she was willing to believe he would never hurt her: she convinced herself that she didn't need to doubt him. But…she knew better…she had the evidence to support his lies and his indiscretion.

"_But why, why, why did she still love him so much? How could she love someone that would lie to her face the way he was doing?"_

Nick reached his arm over her and tried to pull her into him, to hold her, and to promise her she could trust him, but he felt her stiffen under his arms and he let his arm droop loosely over her instead.

"Nick?" she whispered

"Yeah, Sweetheart?" he asked very quietly.

"Maybe you should go? Just…" her voice was barely audible as it cracked, "…just get the things you came for and go…"

Nick closed his eyes but still felt the sting of the tears that began to well up inside them. He took a deep breath and although she wasn't looking at him, he wanted her to listen to him.

"Listen to me, okay?" he started to say as she slipped out from under his arm and walked naked to the end of the bed. She picked up her pants and her shirt off the floor and she held them tightly to her body to cover herself. She was ashamed. He could see it in her demeanor. He hated himself for hurting her yet again.

"Babe, I want you to believe me when I say this, okay?" he asked. "Please just please trust me when I tell you this? I know, I know that you have no reason to trust me right now, but I swear on the little girl we made together, I promise you this…" he paused.

"I promise you that I will find out the truth and I will tell you it…even if I find out those things that are in the pictures are true, then I will tell you and I will face my consequences like a man. But, I am telling you, something is wrong with it. Something is very wrong and I will find out what that is… Can you give me the pictures and the envelope they came in?" he asked sitting up in bed looking at her.

"Take whatever you want, Nick," she said in a quiet monotone voice while looking at the floor. "Take it all…take everything," she felt her tears roll from her eyes and drip onto the hardwood floor. It surprised her because she honestly didn't think she had anymore tears left inside her. But, there they fell into tiny wet circles on the floor beneath her.

"They're in the top drawer," she said motioning to the chest of drawers across the room, "go ahead and take them."

Nick flopped back down on the bed and threw his arm back over his face. He knew she no longer cared what he did or what he took because she felt she had nothing left inside her anymore. She had no more fight. None of it mattered anymore. She felt empty.

She might not have said, _"You win…take it all because you have taken everything else from me now…including my dignity and pride" _but he knew it was what she was feeling in her heart and that nearly killed him.

"I gotta go take a shower…just lock the door behind you," she turned and began to walk numbly to the master bathroom still holding her clothes to cover her nakedness.

"Wait, just wait, please," he begged as he sat back up and scooted off the bed toward her.

"What else do you want, Nicky? What?" she asked him with quiet defeat.

"I am so sorry I hurt you again…," he began.

"No, no, Nick, it's not you…" she shook her head slightly and slowly, "...it's me. I, I just need to go take a shower," she pressed her lips together and tried to smile.

"Just wait," he said and grabbed his boxers off the floor as he walked to her.

He stood in front of her, stepped into his maroon, plaid, boxer shorts, and pulled them up over himself.

Jules waited. She had no more feeling inside her. She obeyed and, as if she was a dog in obedience training, she stood there like he asked.

Nick put his hands on her shoulders. She truly looked vacant. He opened his mouth to speak and to beg and to plead but they were interrupted by a loud squeal of joy and happiness.

"**MY DADDY HOME? DADDY, WHERE IS YOU?" **Emma screamed as she flew up the stairs.

"Oh. My. God. No, no, no…" Jules put her hand over her mouth. "It's Trista and Em!"

Nick rolled his head back and looked at the ceiling and let out a huge breath of air from his lungs.

"FFFFuck," he said under his breath, and moved quickly to get his pants and shirt at the front of the bed.

Jules threw her shirt on without her bra underneath. With one leg in his pant leg and the other on the floor, the bedroom door flung open, and their little girl stormed inside smiling with a bright "Stokes Smile"...looking just like her daddy. Nick looked up and instantly made eye contact with Trista who was following right behind Emma. From the look on her face she was not only shocked but horrified as well.

"Are you flippin' kidding me?" she spoke firmly. "Seriously, Nick? Serrriousllly?"

Emma scurried over to the big bed, crawled up onto it, and began jumping up and down unaware of what she just walked into.

"My Daddy home…My Daddy home…My. Daddy. Home…," she sang excitedly with each jump.

Jules slipped into her pants and grabbed Emma off the bed. Stepping over the shattered glass and broken picture frame, she carried her to the door without saying a word to Nick or Trista.

"**UH OH**, **WHO BROKENED IT!?" **Emma yelled pointing to the smashed wedding picture.

Jules didn't answer, she just kept walking out of the room, through the hall, and down the stairs away from the scene of the crime.

"_**You fucking prick**_!" Trista whispered at Nick.

Nick buttoned and zipped his pants and couldn't look up at her.

"I leave her here alone and you come in here and make a move on her like a fucking jackal!" she glared.

Nick put on his shirt slowly and finally looked up at her expressionless as he finished buttoning his shirt.

Trista looked directly back at him, "You fuck around **on **her and then come back here to fuck **with **her now too? You make me sick, Nick. I totally thought you were better than this!" she shook her head disgustedly.

Nick shook his head, "No, no, I swear, it's not like that, I am gonna prove it to her and to you!"

"Just get out of here, Nick," she frowned and walked over to the shattered picture. "**You **broke this and I am gonna have to clean up your mess. Just go!" she said kneeling down and picking up the shattered glass and picture frame carefully.

Nick knew she wasn't referring to the wedding picture she was cleaning up. He knew exactly what she meant.

He wanted to defend himself. He wanted to explain, but he knew if this was a case he was working on, logically the evidence would point to his guilt. He knew he had to prove himself by discrediting the evidence Jules had now, before he could even attempt to defend his innocence.

So, without a defense, Nick took a loud deep breath and let it out slowly as he walked to the chest and removed the manila envelope from the top drawer. He stuck it under his arm, grabbed his shoes off the floor, and walked out of the room silently.

* * *

He tucked in his shirt as he walked down the hall and he finished buckling his belt as he went down the stairs. He sat on the second to last step and put his shoes on, the same way he puts them on each night before going out the door to work. Standing up once his laces were tied, he rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"Em?" Nick called for her as he walked into the kitchen, "Emma?"

He heard the scamper of her little feet tear into the kitchen. Nick picked her up and placed her on the granite counter top.

"I love you, Princess, but I gotta go. Give me a kiss and tell me you love me," his words stung him a little. It was the same goodbye phrase he has always given Jules.

"Good bye and you love me," Emma said kissing him and trying to scoot off the counter.

Nick helped her down and handed her her "woobie" before grabbing his vest off the counter. He looked over into the den and saw Jules just sitting on the brick ledge of the fireplace, staring out the sliding glass doors into the yard.

"Mommy, Mommy kiss Daddy goodbye and tell him I love me," she tried to repeat her father.

Jules looked up and pretended to smile.

"Goodbye and I love me," she said quietly.

Nick's throat tightened.

"**NICK**! **The door is open**!" Trista yelled from the foyer.

Nick shook his head and took a deep breath.

Walking out into the hall he saw Trista holding the door wide open with her hand showing him the door.

"I know how to get out, Trist," he said agitated.

"Then **DO IT**!" she grumbled as he walked out his front door.

He heard the door slam hard behind him.


	18. That's What Friends Are For

The only sounds coming from the Stokes' den were not the sounds of conversation, but instead the songs from a singing, purple, dinosaur dancing across the television screen. Jules wanted to throw up every time she heard, "_I love you, you love me, we're a happy family"_ but she sucked it up, and left it on, because her little girl loved it.

Trista quietly sat in the tan, over sized, chair in the corner of the room biting the side of her fingernail. She glanced over at Jules now and then, but said nothing. Jules could feel her best friend's stares and knew Trista was giving it everything she had not to blurt out her thoughts for Emma's sake. Jules knew it would come eventually. She knew as soon as Emma's droopy eyes started to flutter, that it was only a matter of time before the questions flew.

She looked over at her daughter curled up on the couch next to her, she had her woobie to her nose and her thumb slightly falling from her mouth. She was asleep and both Trista and Jules were glad…they did have a lot to discuss. Jules grabbed the remote and turned Barney that annoying purple dinosaur off, before tossing it onto the arm of the chair.

Jules walked into the kitchen and her best friend followed behind her. Trista grabbed the coffee creamer from the refrigerator and placed it down on the counter while Jules went to the cabinet to grab two mugs. Jules silently began pouring the coffee when she heard the question she knew Trista was waiting to ask since before Emma fell asleep.

"Okay, so you wanna tell me what the hell went on here?" she placed her palm on the counter top and looked directly at Jules.

Jules ran her hand over her face and shook her head.

"I can't for the life of me even begin…"

"Well ya better start figuring it out! I left here and you were calling a lawyer…I come back a couple hours later and you are half naked in your bedroom with Nick!" Trista threw her hands up in the air dramatically.

Jules kept her eyes down, reached into the drawer, and grabbed a small spoon.

"…I see glass all over the floor, drawers opened, clothes thrown around the room and I see tears across each other's faces…what the fuck, Jules?" Trista was still on her rant.

"Our heat finally combusted?" she tried to make a joke.

Trista rolled her eyes.

Jules poured creamer into her coffee and handed the bottle over to Trista before stirring it.

"Well, I am fucked up. Is that what you want me to tell you, Trist?" Jules said softly.

"I already saw that! Now can you tell me how you ended up smashing pictures, throwing clothes, and then falling into bed?"

Jules began to tell her everything. She told her about him coming over for his work vest and how she didn't hear him. How she showed him the phone bill proof and threw things. She even admitted that, when he grabbed her, she hauled off and punched him in his mouth.

Trista's mouth flew open and she covered it with her hand. She had never seen Jules get violent with anyone, never mind _**NICK**_.

After her initial shock wore off, Trista lowered her hand and grumbled, "Good! He deserved it!"

Jules ignored her comment.

Jules explained that the screaming went on for a while and when she started throwing things like a lunatic, he reached out, held her tight and she lost it...she crumbled. He brought her back from her rage and she was able to grab control of herself…well, sort of.

Jules' strong tone that she used to tell her best friend what had gone on was slowly fading. Trista knew having to recall the details was bringing it all back for Jules and it was eating away at her piece by piece. She was thinking that it would only be a matter of time before all of this hits Jules again. Trista also knew that she would be there to catch her when it did.

""I still love him, Trista," she said softly after telling her all the details.

"I know you do, Jules. Of course you do! You don't turn that shit off overnight," she sighed and touched Jules shoulder. "But, but…**_sleeping with him, Jules? Really_**? Is that the answer?"

Jules shook her head no.

"Jules, honey, I love you…you're my best friend and I wouldn't be a good one if I didn't lay it all out for you… so I gotta tell you the truth, ok?"

Jules looked over at her with tears welling up in her eyes.

"The man had an affair with his college sweetheart. You have **pictures**. You have **phone records **that show they have spoken since the wedding. Honey, believe me, I can't comprehend it either…I adored Nick too but…but, Jules, he isn't who you thought he was," she reached over and hugged her best friend tightly.

'I can't keep carrying around this pain," Jules whispered as her face started to wilt, "I can't stand it. I just can't stand it...It hurts so bad."

Jules began to cry on Trista's shoulder and she continued spilling her feelings, "It went away…just for a little while…when I was…when I was with him," she said in between her cries.

"Ohhh Jules...Jules, I know, I know," Trista's voice began to crack feeling the pain of her best friend.

"When I wake up in the morning…I reach for him **evvvery sssingle morning**…and he is _**gone**_… and I remember…I remember why," Jules admits. "And, then, then each morning I see my baby's face ask me when her daddy's coming home…and that face…**her **beautiful, little**, **face is Nick's…" Jules wiped her tears with both hands and Trista holds her shoulder as they walk to the kitchen table.

Propping her elbows on the tabletop and running her fingers through the sides of her long blond hair, Jules continues.

"I see Nick in her actions, I see him in her smile…she is his spitting image and she reminds me of how much Nick and I loved each other... and then I remember that he threw it all away for one night. And it's her beautiful, little, face that makes me wonder, maybe I shouldn't throw it all away for that one night? That one mistake," she looked up and her sad eyes made her look like a little girl, "Maybe I should just pretend it never happened and get my happy family back?"

"I know you better than that. You'd never settle for less, Jules. You never have," Trista said picking up her coffee and taking a sip.

"I know. I know. I couldn't stay with him for long without hating him. Resenting him. Hating myself for letting him disrespect me like that. No, I know it is impossible but this is how my brain bounces back and forth alllll dayyy lonnnng!" she puts her face in her hands and groans with frustration.

Trista nods, imagining how hard it must be.

"Does…does Warrick know?" she asked softly.

Jules doesn't look up from her hands; she simply shakes her head no.

Trista groans loudly.

"He comes in on Friday. Will you sleep over here that night?" Jules looks up and asks. "He doesn't come in until 3 am."

"Of course. Of course." she squeezed her shoulder. "I'm here for **_anything _**you need; you know that….uh, but...just don't ask me to be the one to tell your brother!"

Her comment made them both crack a small smile.


	19. Suiting Up

**Suiting Up**

* * *

It was Emma's nap time which meant Jules could workout a little since she never made it to the gym in the morning. She hated the thought of working out but once she did it she was so happy she did. She felt better and it kept her in shape which she liked too. Today, she might just do a little yoga to get her head clear. Lord knows she needed her head clear, she thought silently.

Jules threw on her comfiest, worn out, gym shorts and a tank top and crept passed her daughter's room.

Jogging a bit down the staircase she put on her I-pod as she went.

* * *

Nick pulled into the driveway of their home in the black Denali he uses for work. He was still on the clock from pulling a double and he was just slammed with this new task. He was summoned to testify in a murder trial and he had to be in court within two hours. He wasn't sure if showing up to the house like this was going to be a problem for Jules but he had no choice; he had to get inside to get his suit. It was a last minute re-call so he had no time to prepare Jules for his arrival. He figured if she wasn't home he could slip in and out. But, he sighed a sigh of relief when he did see her SUV in the driveway. He would get to see her after all.

Nick hopped out of the truck, pushed his keys in his pocket, and leaned down to pick up the newspaper lying on the driveway. Swinging it as he walked up his front porch Nick glanced at his watch before ringing the doorbell. He saw it was just after lunch which meant Emma would be sleeping. He had his arm extended to ring the bell but stopped instantly when he thought maybe that wouldn't be a good idea. He stood there with his arm out, staring at the bell a few seconds, contemplating which would piss Jules off more: walking in unannounced or waking up their daughter. Nick knew the answer. His little girl really could be a beast when awakened from her naps, although Nick never would admit that to Jules. He always told her "HIS Princess" was _never _a beast.

Reaching into his jeans pocket he pulled out his set of keys and fumbled around for the key to his front door. He opened it slowly and whispered as loud as he could, "Jules, it's just me!" He walked into the foyer a little farther and in a hushed voice said it again. Nick thought about just grabbing his suit and leaving but he didn't want to just head up the stairs and grab his suit like a thief in the night, so he walked into the living room to let her know he was in the house.

His heart stopped. He was sure it actually stopped beating. When he saw her bending over in her black, teeny, tiny, tight, workout shorts, and touching the floor with her palms he nearly had a heart attack. How he didn't gasp loudly amazed him. Instead he stood silently between the kitchen and the den and watched her blond ponytail drop and dangle over her head.

'_She is so fucking flexible_," his dirty mind immediately thought.

He watched silently as she held the position and he knew he should let her know he was watching. He knew it was wrong. Especially knowing that watching her body contort into that position made him have to fight the urge not to walk up behind his wife and take her from behind right then and there. He had to remind himself that they weren't like that anymore. And, he didn't want to get punched in the face again…at least not right before court.

Jules rolled back up and continued her stretching unaware of her husband's presence. She was listening to a sad song and she knew she shouldn't be. These exercises were supposed to clear her head, not give her a chance to fill it with more heartache and thoughts of Nick. She decided to just take them off and concentrate on her breathing. Tossing her I-pod over to the couch she was about to stretch again when Nick grabbed a small, plush, pink, pig off the counter and threw it at her. He was afraid if he spoke she would jump, and he wouldn't dare just walk up to her like he did last time. He figured throwing a stuffed animal might work. And it did.

Jules felt the stuffed pig pelt her in the shoulder and she turned thinking it was Trista bringing her in something for lunch.

She smiled wide and turned, "Hey! Whatchew dewin' Beeyotch!" she said in an exaggerated ghetto slang tone.

Nick raised his eyebrows, jerked his head back slightly, and pressed his lips together trying not to laugh at her.

Jules' mouth hung open when she saw him there.

"Did you just call me a bitch?" Nick smirked.

"Um, yes, CSI Stokes, I guess I did," she chuckled forgetting how much she should hate him.

But there he stood. The love of her life dressed in what could drive her to her knees no matter how long they've been together.

Jules felt her palms sweat when she saw him in his vest and all the gadgets that hung around his waist.

And something about that gun…the way it hung snuggly to his hip. She loved it. It turned her on.

She loved how it said STOKES in white across his chest and CSI FORENSICS on his back.

And she loved the way he was biting on the end of his sunglasses.

She loved…

"Babe... uh Jules, you checking me out?" Nick didn't mean to say it but he was so used to teasing her about how she thinks she is discrete when she scans him up and down lustfully and the truth was she couldn't be more obvious.

Jules shook her head as if to shake the desire from her face.

"**NO! YEAH! MAYBE**!" she spit out all three words fast and it made no sense and she knew it so she laughed hard.

"Yeah, well, then… I like your shorts," he smiled.

Jules looked down and saw she had on the tight, tiny, shorts that Nick always loved but warned her not to wear to the gym or she could very well be attacked. Although, he always added, she would get attacked home too but at least it would be by her husband.

Jules smiled and then realized their banter was much too friendly under the circumstances.

"I didn't even know you were behind me!" she reached up tightening her ponytail. "Were you watching me?" she smirked.

"**No**...nope." he gave her a Stokes' smile.

"_**Why you dirrr…**_." Jules stopped.

She almost called him "her dirty, dirty man" which was how they talked when they were left "unsupervised".

They both stared at each other. Nick rubbed the back of his neck. Jules wiped her palms on her hips.

"Um, Em's sleeping, … yeah, I guess you already know that," she said knowing Nick knows his daughter's routine just as well as she did.

"Yeah, ya know what, I'm sorry I didn't have time to warn you I was coming here…" he said apologetically.

Jules walked toward him into the kitchen. She had to try not to stare at him. "_My God, Cowboy, you are one hot CSI, wow!_" she hoped she just say that out loud. It wouldn't have been the first time she spoke the words she only thought she had stuffed in her head. But, thankfully, under the circumstances now, she was happy she kept her thoughts quiet.

"…I have to get a suit. I have court in a couple hours. Last minute call back so I have to be there," he explained.

"No, no, it's fine, I have two that are still in the dry cleaning bags. Or do you have a 'lucky one', Mr. Expert Witness?" she laughed as they both headed into the hallway and to the stairs.

It was a joke between them. He looked at her and smiled softly. Jules gave him a closed mouth smile back.

They chatted softly as they went upstairs.

It felt strange having such a normal conversation with him. She wanted so badly to jump her CSI right there on their staircase. The demeanor between them was sweet…which was definitely strange considering what went on the other day.

Jules went to Nick's closet and he followed. She pushed some of his things to the side and grabbed the suit that was still in an ARISTOTLE DRY CLEANER plastic.

She fumbled through his shirts, grabbed one and then reached for the tie he always wore with it.

When she reached up for it, Nick couldn't help but scan her body up and down. Her little shorts rode up her butt revealing her tan lines.

Jules needed to put his stuff in a bag so she bent down to fish out a department store bag. As she bent down Nick could feel the rise in his pants. He had to mentally stop it. It was a difficult task since those shorts rode up her just perfectly.

"Stop looking at my ass," she said while digging around, without even looking back.

"I wasn't," he laughed.

"Riiight," she laughed too before leaning back up and turning back to him.

He was close behind her and she was startled by the close proximity of the two of them.

"Uh, you can use this for your tie and socks and uh, stuff," she stuttered.

Nick wanted to grab her and pull her to the bed. He wanted her so badly again he found it hard to concentrate on simply breathing.

Jules wanted him so bad it hurt. Seeing him in that uniform made her hot every time. He used to stop home in it sometimes just to watch her come on to him. She would swear he was teasing her now, but she knew this time he really needed his suit.

"Here, here ya go…" Jules handed him an empty, Delilah's Destiny Boutique shopping bag and scooted passed him quickly.

Once everything he needed was placed in the bag and his suit over his arm, Nick headed out of the room first. Walking down the stairs they were quiet so they wouldn't wake Emma. Almost at the bottom of the stairs Nick turned to tell her that he forgot his tie clip but Jules wasn't expecting him to turn and they nearly smacked heads.

With their faces only millimeters apart, they both froze in front of each other. Jules was a step above him bringing them directly at eye level with one another. No words left their mouths. There was pure silence.

Jules' hand disobeyed her mind and she reached out and brushed the LVPD patch on his vest with her fingertips. She dragged them down over the pocket that held his swabs and drops and whatever else he had tucked inside.

Their eyes were locked onto one another.

Nick closed his eyes and sucked in his breath…their faces so close that the air he breathed was hers.

The heat began to permeate from them.

He rubbed his nose against hers.

They rested their foreheads on each others and they both closed their eyes as if it would help them turn off what they felt for each other.

Jules let her hand rest on his shoulder and felt it slip down over the reflective stripe on the back of his vest.

She leaned her head forward a tiny bit allowing her lips to slightly brush over his. They weren't completely touching but they were definitely hovering over dangerous territory.

Nick's suit was starting to slide off his arm.

Jules put her hand to his face before caressing it back to his neck.

Their lips touched and they began to kiss slowly…

Perhaps that kiss would have escalated had Trista not walked in carrying a Lola's Luncheonette Take Out Bag.

They didn't even hear her come in the front door. Standing directly behind them in the doorway, she looked at both of them and yelled loudly.

"**I fuckkking knew it!** As soooon as I saw your fucking truck I said it! **I KNEW IT**!" she shook her head. "You are un-fucking-believable Stokes, ya know that!?" she leaned down, picked up the suit that had slid to the floor, and jammed it into Nick's arms before looking over at Jules. "**AND what the hell is wrong with YOU? **You have no self respect? This is the man who we **BOTH **saw with that blond chick…not to mention her tits were in his _**hands**_. **HELLLLLO!?" **

Nick grasps the suit tightly and faces Trista with a frown.

"_**Whoa, whoa, enough, Trista! **_It was a kiss goodbye. Nothing more! Last time I checked it wasn't illegal," he snarled. "_**And she is still my wife**_!"

"_**Keep telling yourself that, tough guy**_!" she snarled back.

Trista loved Nick. Absolutely adored him She got to know him well when they spent so much time together at the hospital. He was a great guy. He made her laugh, he was smart, he was easy on the eyes but most importantly, he loved her best friend with a love she could only hope to find. Ok, so, he was a little too organized for her liking but hey, he and Jules worked well so whatever…"_at least they used to work before he fucked around on her_," she thought in her head.

Trista had no tolerance for cheaters. She had her own heartache because of her ex-fiance cheating and she couldn't bear to see Jules go through it now too…not to mention from a guy who seemed like the real deal.

"Trista, he's leaving, calm down. He's right….Really, it was just a kiss," she nodded.

Trista twisted her mouth and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, well both of you can kiss my ass…" she grumbled and walked into the kitchen with the Lola's bag.

"Good luck in court, Nick," Jules said and ushered him out the door and away from Trista's disgust.

Jules closed the door behind Nick and leaned her back up against it while looking at the ceiling. She sucked in a deep breath before letting it out slowly.

Trista yelled out from the kitchen when she heard the front door close.

"**_My best friend is an idiot. How do I have a best friend that is a fucking sucker? Who are you and what did you do with my best friend? You know, the one who had _control over herself_!"_**

Jules slightly smirked. She figured she might as well make light of it, especially since his kiss was just too good to regret yet, so she yelled back into the kitchen at her pissed off friend.

"_**Well, I told you we could never be left alone unsupervised!"**_

"**IDIOT!" **Trista yelled back. "**Now come in here and eat**!"


	20. Out of a Dream & Into a Nightmare

_**Out of a Dream & Into a Nightmare**_

* * *

She could barely hear the hustle and bustle of the many people that flooded in and out of the airport because her thoughts were racing in her head. What the hell was she supposed to say to her brother? Here he was coming from the trip of his dreams into his sister's broken ones. She dreaded having to tell him, but she knew it had to come from her.

She waited silently at Gate 17B. She thought about listening to her I-pod but just didn't think she could hear the music through her wickedly loud thoughts.

"_What's the point_?" she thought silently.

She had to figure out what she would say to him about the pictures she saw. She grimaced at the memory of Nick's hands caressing Brooke's bare breasts and felt as her stomach literally churn when she remembered Brooke straddling him. She thought for a minute she could actually throw up from just the memory of the pictures. Jules thought for a minute and knew she couldn't bear to show Warrick, which was fine since Nick had taken them with him anyway.

Jules rested her head back in the seat. How was she going to tell him about Nick and Brooke and then turn around and tell him she still wanted to believed in him. That she still let him back into her heart and her bed. She stared out thinking about that afternoon, when she threw a coffee mug so hard at Nick's head she swore it would have given him a concussion had it hit him. Jules ran her hand over her face. She took a deep breath and continued remembering how much pain she was in seeing Nick's cell phone bill. How she kissed him through her tears and let it go even further. She absolutely would be too ashamed to admit to her indiscretions.

* * *

Jules stood up and smiled a genuine smile when she saw Warrick walking out of the gate wearing a Hawaiian shirt and several pink, flowered, leis draping around his neck. He looked adorable. And he looked happy.

They hugged tightly for a few minutes before saying anything. Finally after letting go Warrick looked around and asked the question Jules knew would come eventually.

"Where's Nick? Why are you here?" he asked confused, "Don't tell me Grissom wouldn't give him LT!" he frowned. "And who's with my Tiny Girl?"

"Which question do you want me to answer first?" she grinned, "And you say I'M a question box!" she raised her eyebrow at him.

"Yeah, yeah, just answer them," he said smiling.

"Nick isn't here because I didn't tell him to get you. I wanted to get you myself," she pressed her lips together before swallowing hard.

"Well, that's dumb…it's the middle of the night!" he argued, "You needed to get me at 3:00 in the freakin' morning when Nick can just take some Lost Time and swing by here during his shift? That's just really dumb, Baby Girl," he rolled his eyes and shook his head at her.

"Well, I missed you," she said.

"Nick's working though…or is he home with Tiny?" Warrick pried.

"Trista is there," she answered.

As Jules and her brother walked to Baggage he glanced over at her a few times feeling like there was something off about his sister. Warrick squinted and turned his lips thinking about what she was saying. He had an uneasy feeling about it. _"It must be CSI paranoia kicking in," _he thought, _"what else could it possibly be…it's Nick and Baby Girl we're talking about here." _Something just seemed strange about Nick not being there at three o'clock in the morning when he could easily have done it.

Jules felt the lump in her throat form. Partly because she knew she was gonna drop a bombshell on her brother about his best friend and brother in law. No matter how she told him it was not gonna be good.

* * *

As they drove home in Jules' SUV Warrick told her all about his trip… the beach, the ladies, the hotel. He was so excited and Jules was genuinely happy for him. She listened to everything he described, she was excited to hear about all of it. It was actually a nice opportunity to think about something other than the shit going on in her life.

"Why are you so quiet, Baby Girl," he asked suspiciously, still staring straight ahead, " I gotta tell ya, I am getting a feeling something is wrong…Emma okay?"

"Oh yeah, she is fine, don't worry," she said assuring him about his niece, "It's not her. I just, um, well," she paused, "Nick had a one night stand with his old, college, girlfriend and I threw him out," she blurted it out before she could say it tactfully.

Warrick's head spun toward her and his hand slapped against the passenger window.

"Whhhhat the fuck did you just say to me?" he frowned with his face looking horrified.

"Do I really have to repeat that?" she said looking straight ahead at the road.

"Let me get this straight…did you just tell me that Nick, your husband Nick, the dude I work with, screwed around on **you**?" he said slowly. "Sorry…don't believe it," he chuckled.

"Fact," she said bluntly.

"Nope. Not true. I know how pathetic he is with you. Nevvvver happen," he continued to laugh blowing off even the idea.

"Would it help you to believe it if I told you there are pictures to prove it? She said coldly.

"Pictures? What do you mean?" he said confused.

"Uh, you know, the kind you get when you use a camera," she shook her head.

"Huh? You mean you saw pictures of him messing around with the chick? No way. Still say no way."

"Warrick, go in my purse…look in the side zippered pocket and you'll find a folded piece of paper inside. It's a print out of the pictures that were plastered all over my FaceBook wall. I printed them before I deleted it," she explained.

She dreaded showing him the proof. It broke her heart. She was embarrassed even though she did nothing wrong and shouldn't be.

Warrick reached over and grabbed her purse. Placing it on his lap he opened it and looked around.

"Look in the zipper compartment I said!" she told him with annoyance when he wasn't finding it.

Warrick unzipped the side pocket as she instructed and pulled out a folded paper. Opening it out quickly he saw six different images of Nick with a hot, blond, chick.

Jules could feel her calm and cool act starting to crumble. She was trying to hold it together and act tough. Her face began to give her away. It started to furrow and her lip quivered a little bit.

Warrick looked over at her and saw the pain in her face. He could feel the horror rising. The last thing he could stand was seeing his kid sister looking beaten down. And at that very moment, his sister was indeed looking beaten down.

"**STOP THE CAR**!" he yelled. "**Stop this Goddamn car, Jules**!"

She pulled over and he hopped out of the car and paced back and forth on the side of the road. Warrick always paced when he is upset, angry, or worried. She had to decide now which one of those he was.

Jules bit the inside of her cheek, took a couple of deep, shaking breaths and waits a second before getting out of the car. She could see Warrick's mouth moving, but had no idea what he was saying and she wasn't sure she wanted to hear his wrath just yet. Finally slipping out of her vehicle she walks slowly, with her head looking down, to the side of the road and leans against the truck with her arms folded in front of her watching him and waiting.

Warrick finally stops pacing and looks at her.

"I just don't get it. I really don't. I saw that man sit by your bed for a month! I saw the way he looked at you and I tell him _**all the time **_how disgustingly in love he is with you and how sickening he is," he admits.

"Hmmm, gee thanks," she gives him a weak smile.

"How can you be so calm? When did this happen?" he looked at her still with shock across his face.

"Two weeks ago today," she said looking down, "And I have no more tears left, Warrick." she gulped not completely sure that was true since they hadn't actually stopped.

"**WHY **didn't you call me?" he asked startled, "HOW many time do I tell you to call me when you need anything!"

"What good would that have done? I mean really? And anyway, I'm a big girl…I can handle this."

Warrick nodded knowing she was strong but he was absolutely sick for her and his niece.

"So, what are you going to do, do you need a name of a lawyer? I know a great lawyer…" he said beginning to pace again.

Jules didn't say anything. She remembered telling Nick she had a lawyer and his reaction to that news. She remembered punching him in the face when he grabbed her and then she remembered making love to him and feeling like everything was gonna be okay while he held her. She took a deep breath remembering their kiss in the hallway; his kiss could still take her breath away. But every time she started to weaken, she looked at that printout of the pictures. She carried it in her purse for just that reason.

She knew that making love to him…kissing him…that was a fantasy…just a moment of weakness and a lapse in good judgment. She kept her eyes to the ground and saw one tear escape. She quickly wiped it. Warrick frowned. He saw it.

"I wonder if he is off of work now?" he looked at his watch. "Probably not yet," he answered his own question when he saw it was only a quarter after four.

"Where is he? Where is he staying?" he added with an urgent tone.

"You know, I never actually asked him," she looked up, "I'm gonna guess with Greg."

"I need to talk to him. I just can't grasp any of this, really I can't, Jules," he shook his head back and forth.

"I know exactly how you feel," she told him, "Now can you just get in!"

* * *

Warrick was silent as they drove. Jules would look over at him from time to time but he would just press his lips together and shake his head.

"You want to come to my house or drop you off at home?" she asked him.

"Please, take me home, I will come by to see my Tiny Girl later. Tell her I brought her the shells I promised," he smiled at the thought of her.

"You got it," she tried to sound upbeat.

Pulling into Warrick's driveway she leaned over and hugged and kissed him.

"It'll all be all right, Baby Girl, " he whispered when he saw her lip begin to quiver again.

She swallowed back her emotion and simply nodded.

"We'll figure this all out; I promise you," he reached over and lifted her chin to look her straight in the eyes, "…I'm here now," he said.

She knew he meant it. He had always been there for her all her life.

He wasn't about to stop now.


	21. On Your Way Out

**On Your Way Out  
**

* * *

Walking into his home, Warrick dropped his suitcases at the door and turned on the lights. Walking straight to the kitchen to grab himself something to eat, he opened the fridge but he looked from the corner of his eye at his counter. He spotted things out of place; the coffee maker was moved and there was a small amount of coffee in the pot…he knew instantly why.

"Son of a bitch came here? He came herrrre? Ohhhh he has balls!" he growled angrily.

Warrick slammed the refrigerator door without grabbing food, and stormed out of the kitchen, through his living room, and took the stairs two at a time. He went directly to his sister's old bedroom. Sure enough, although the bed was made, he could tell it had been recently slept in and a back suitcase was on the floor by the bed. Warrick went into the room, picked up Nick's neatly folded clothes that were on the chair and threw them into the suitcase haphazardly and zipped it up with force.

He brought it with him downstairs and tossed it next to his own bags.

Warrick was absolutely exhausted from his flight, but he refused to go to sleep. Instead he sat on the couch with his head resting against the back cushion and waited…

* * *

Nick pulled up to Warrick's house with the hopes he could get in there quickly before Warrick came home from vacation. He knew he was coming home today but he wasn't sure what time. So he managed to blow out of work a half an hour earlier to grab his stuff and go. What he didn't know was Warrick was already home and already inside waiting for Nick's arrival.

Nick yawned as he opened the front door to Warrick's home. He walked in slowly and spotted his suitcase next to Warrick's immediately, and he knew he was too late. Not only did he know Warrick was home, but by the sight of his suitcase packed up and by the door, it meant Warrick also knew about Brooke.

Nick tried to mentally prepare himself for the wrath he was walking into to. Sure enough, he wasn't two steps into the living room when he heard a voice from the dimly lit room.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't hop this couch and punch you in your face?" Warrick said slowly.

Nick looked over at him sitting on the couch looking worn out.

"Hey, Rick…I, uh, I didn't realize you were coming home this early," was all he could say.

"I _**said **_give me one good reason I shouldn't hop this couch and take you down?" Warrick repeated to Nick coldly.

Nick took a large breath and sighed loudly.

"A reason? I dunno…maybe you're too tired from your flight?" he tried to lighten the tension.

"Think it's a joke, Nick?" the anger started to brew.

"Actually, I think it's none of your business," Nick was shocked by his words. He didn't even mean them.

"**REALLY**? You made _**my house **_your business after you got thrown out of your own for getting it on with your old college honey behind my sister's back though, didn't ya!?" Warrick glared angrily as he got up from his couch and headed toward Nick.

"C'mon, man. I could use some help here! I don't remember even being with that broad, Rick. I swear to God, man…how about you help me find out what happened instead of getting in my face?" he negotiated.

"Do I look like an asshole? Really...do I look like a fuckin' asshole to you? You know I how many time I have used that same bullshit on a chick of my own?…'oh honey, it ain't like that…it wasn't me'" he mocked. "Just spare me, Nick, that shit might work on my sister but I know exactly what it reallllly means!"

"You really don't know shit, Warrick! How can you if I don't even know!?" he tried to explain.

"Nick, get the fuck out of my house and out of my face!" he pushes Nick in the chest.

Nick stumbles back a couple of steps and shook his head. He wasn't about to slug his brother-in-law.

Nick stood staring at his best friend.

"_**I said get your fucking shit and get out, Nick!**_" he yelled and pushed him hard causing him to fall backward into the little narrow table in the hallway.

The candlesticks to fall over and make loud clanking noises.

Nick regained his balance and straightened out his shirt trying to shake off the anger that was beginning to build in him.

Warrick got in Nick's face and yelled at him... egging him on for a fight.

"Was it worth it? Way to go, Nicky Boy! Good job!" he yelled, "So let me guess... Nick Stokes's dick gets hard and he has to get himself a fix? You proud of yourself?"

Nick rolled his eyes and looked up at the ceiling.

"Yeah, you're a great guy, Nick…_**ya ever think about that little girl of yours? Ya ever think about how you being a fucking dog is gonna affect HER?"**_

"_**YOU ARE OUT OF LINE, RICK**_!" Nick finally got in Warrick's face and yelled at him.

"**Out of line? You fuck around on my sister and I'M OUT OF LINE?" **he yelled back.

"She may be your sister, _**Warrrrrick**_, but this is my **WIFE**, man….my marriage, **My FAMILY**!," Nick pushed Warrick out of his personal space.

Warrick stumbled back a couple steps, but he didn't take a swing at him.

Instead he stared at him for a second.

Strangely Warrick understood what Nick meant.

He knew because, while he was sitting on the couch waiting for Nick to come home, he had been wrestling with the realization that Nick and Jules' marriage problems were really not something he should be involved in regardless of what happened. That was hard for Warrick to accept… After all, it was his Baby Girl.

As hard as that was to accept and swallow, he remembered something his Grams used to say, "_Now Warrick, there are two things you don' t never get__ yourself__ involved in... a sibling rivalry and marital strife. You just mind your business because they will get back to lovin' again and you'll be left holding nothin' but your bag of exposed opinions." _

He never exactly knew what she meant as a kid, but now, as he thought about it, he hated to admit that this was no longer about his baby sister as much as it was about Nick's marriage…**NICK'S wife...NICK'S family**.

Warrick wanted to kick the shit out of Nick for fucking around on Jules, but he took a deep breath and a step back.

He would back away from a fight, but he still didn't have to look in his face.

"Okay, okay," he nodded slowly, "But I still need you to get out of my house and find somewhere else to crash. Right now, I can't look at you," he began walking to the stairs, "I am tired and I came back from a dream and into a nightmare. I am gonna go to bed and in the morning I gotta see what the fuck happened and clean up your mess.

Until then…lock the door on your way out."


	22. The Blues

_**The Blues**_

* * *

The new paper sailed through the air and flopped down on the walkway below the front step of the Stokes' house. Nick waved as he pulled into the driveway to the boy on the bike who threw it. As he got out of his truck he heard the kid yell,

"Hey, Mr. Stokes!" as the boy rode on.

"Good morning, Kyle," he yelled back in his friendly southern way.

As Nick was just about at the front steps of his home, the front door swung open fast and wide.

"Hi, Daddy!" his daughter grinned.

Nick smiled as he looked at his daughter standing in her pink Barbie nightgown with socks on her feet. She wore socks on her feet just like her mother always did. He laughed at the way her hair was strewn all around.

"Morning, Princess," he said smiling while reaching down, grabbing the newspaper, and heading up the stairs.

"Hi, Daddy," she said again.

"Honey, how many times did I tell you not to open the door without Mommy?" he said as he lifted her up and placed his forehead on hers.

"I knew it was you because I hearded you!" she explained.

"Ohhh, okay. But still, no opening doors without mommy, okay?" he told her, "and where is mommy?"

Jules came down the stairs in his one of his t-shirts and a towel wrapped around her hair.

"Jesus!" she gasped, "I didn't hear the door! I thought I heard her talking to someone!"

Nick quickly scanned her firm legs and took note of how his shirt hung just below her panties. His eyes followed upward until they met with hers and she raised an eyebrow because she knew he was scanning her. She quickly tugged her shirt down a bit. _Damn he loved her in his clothes_, he thought silently.

"Emma opened it…I was just telling her not to open doors without you there, right?" he said looking back at his bed headed daughter.

"EMMA! Didn't Mommy tell you to stay right on the couch and watch Blue's Clues while I blew my hair dry?!" Jules frowned at her daughter.

"I forgotted," she said sadly.

"I'm sorry, Nick, I didn't realize it was time," she said looking at him.

"No, no, I'm a little early. I came right from work instead of going to Greg's first," he nodded.

"I can get her dressed fast. C'mon Em," she said to her daughter.

"Daddy you can do it?" she asked her father.

Nick looked at Jules and she closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. It hurt her how much Emma missed her father. Nick had been gone for 3 weeks and their little girl was beginning to ask more and more questions.

Jules stepped to the side, closer to the railing, making room for him to pass indicating he could go up with Emma.

"Sure, Princess," Nick said looking sad that he has missed weeks of not helping his daughter get dressed. They haven't eaten breakfast together; he hasn't heard her feet scamper down the hall and feel her jump in between him and Jules…he has been missing so much and it hurt him deeply.

Jules followed them upstairs and silently watched as Nick sat on Emma's floor and let her line up all her shirts on the floor proudly. He pretended to be stumped at which was the prettiest shirt. It warmed Jules heart and broke it at the same time.

Emma suddenly jumped up and down and tore out of her bedroom screaming "MAIL Timmmme!" and Nick and Jules laughed and shook their heads. They knew the Blue's Clues song all too well and it was Emma's favorite part of the show. Nick rubbed his forehead as he chuckled.

Nick stood up and grabbed a little pink shirt with two big lollipop patches sewn on the front. He reached into the drawer and pulled out a pair of jean shorts. Jules took a step in to see if she could help. Jules reached over to the other drawer to grab a pink hair bow and brush and he could smell the scent of her wet hair.

They looked at each other.

"I miss you, Honey," he whispered.

Jules looked down.

Nick reached out and instinctively put his hand on her hip right above where his t-shirt nearly ended. Jules could feel her heart pounding.

He moved closer to her and she felt her other hip lean into the dresser. She continued to look down. _My God she missed him too_, she thought as she could feel herself choking up.

Nick didn't even mean to put in this position. It just seemed to be magnetic. He was drawn to her. He placed his knuckles under her chin and lifted her face to make her eyes meet his.

"I miss everything about you; I wake up missing you; I go to sleep missing you," he stared at her and she could feel herself getting lost in his eyes.

"God Nicky, I miss you too…don't you know that? Don't you know how hard this is for me too? I see you in my dreams…I see you in the face of our daughter…I see you and I …" she tries to look down but he continues to hold her chin so she can't look away.

She looks up at him and tears well in her eyes.

"Please, Darlin', let me come back….," he whispers with his voice tight.

"You don't think I want to? You don't think that something is missing inside me? That I can't remember what it feels like to not have this knot in my stomach? To not feel like I want to throw up allll the time?" she stares back at him with her eyes pleading. "I haven't washed your pillowcase in three weeks because I need to smell you as I fall asleep?" her lip trembles.

Nick's own eyes fill with tears.

"Baby, I…" he tries to speak but his words won't follow.

Jules reaches her hand out and holds the side of his face. They say nothing. They just stare directly into each others eyes.

Nick leans in and wraps his arms completely around her and hugs her tightly to him. He buries his face in her damp hair.

Jules hugs him tightly. Every part of her aches and misses him. She buries her face in his shirt; she smells him and it makes her emotions even more jumbled.

They just hug each other. They cling to one another. Their grip unbreakable.

They suddenly let go and look at each other laughing. They can hear their daughter singing on the top of her lungs, "Here's the mail, it never fails, it makes me wanna wag my tail, when it comes I wanna wail...MAIL!"

Their smiles are wide and bright and they laugh quietly as they looked at each other. Their smiles slowly drifts off their face. They're faces turn serious. Their eyes begging for each other.

Nick holds Jules face with both palms. He rests his forehead to hers. She tilts her head and presses her lips to his. They kiss softly. Nick lets his hands roam her back before letting them fall to her ass. He knew she would be wearing a thong and he loved that. Jules held the back of his head to keep his mouth on hers. She needed him to breathe easily again. He grabbed her ass gently before picking her up and placing her on the dresser. He stood in between her legs kissing her soft lips.

He mumbles something she couldn't understand. She thought it was an "I love you" until she felt him pull away.

"I can't do this to you," he said holding the back of his hand to his mouth.

Jules swallowed hard. She didn't want him to stop kissing her. She was afraid she would never breath again. She grabbed the front of his shirt and balled the material in her fists. She rested her forehead against his chest. He rested his chin on the top of her head.

Suddenly Nick spoke.

"Jules, why can't you believe me?" he said without calling her by a nickname. "Is this it for us? Is it really over? Because I can't take this. I, I …feel empty inside. It was never suppose to be like this for us."

Jules pulled back to look at him. A tear fell and rolled down her cheek.

"Ya see," he said, "it makes it worse…**I** make it worse…I make you cry all the time," he said with his own face looking heartbroken.

Jules wanted to say something. She wanted to say, "_No, no, Nicky, you make everything better,_" but nothing would come out.

"I can't…I just wish you could believe me. I just…I understand why you can't…. the evidence…the evidence is damning…I get it. I get it. But…but if you…" he stopped.

He was not going to blame her for this.

"I'm sorry, Jules. It's not your fault. It's just that I can't stand this pain and I have to stop bringing you down with me," he pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes tight.

Nick took a step back. He regrouped his thoughts, his emotions, his control.

Jules sat on the dresser with her legs dangling down and her panties showing as the tee shirt rode up as she sat.

Jules put her head down and gripped the dresser with each hand by her sides. She wasn't sure she could forgive him for being with another woman. She wanted to. But she wasn't sure she could, because sometimes her dreams were filled with visions of him kissing Brooke, feeling her, wanting her…it sometimes would wake Jules from a deep sleep and in a cold sweat.

She knew what Nick was saying.

The two of them alone together was dangerous now. It used to be hot. Now, it was dangerous. Because while the heat between them was still there, they wound up walking away burned and it was painful.

Nick stepped away and headed for the door.

"I'm gonna go. I'm gonna get Em and I will drop her back here around four if that's okay? Or do you want her to come home and nap and then maybe I can have her for dinner?"

Jules couldn't answer him. The ache was so intense that her chest literally hurt. She put her palm up as if to say "stop"... to let him know she couldn't talk about it right now.

Nick nodded. He understood. She was hurting too much to talk. They could figure it out later.

"I, um, I will call you in a little while. I will uh, I'll let you know if she is too cranky and needs a nap or if she falls asleep," he stammered, "I'll just call you in a few hours."

Nick reached down and picked up his daughters outfit. Jules handed him the brush and hair bow. He took them, turned and walked out of their daughters room.

Jules buried her face in her hands in order to stifle her cry. She tried hard to hold it in. And she did.

She listened as Nick and Emma talked downstairs, but she couldn't get up from the dresser.

She sat there until she heard Emma yell, "Bye Bye Mommy" and she managed to yell back, "Bye Baby, I love you!"

She meant it. Not only for Emma…but for Nick too.


	23. PayBack

_**PayBack**_

* * *

She glanced at her watch and took a swig of her Scotch and soda as she waited in a booth at The Rodeo Bar. She looked around and sneered at the sight of a deer head stuck high up on the wall proudly staring her way. She looked over at the men at the bar and thought some of them were mighty fine. She smiled at one when he looked her way. She could do without those cowboy hats though, she thought. After scoping out the scenery she turned her head around to see who was coming through the doors. It was just another man with a big belt buckle, and a cowboy hat that strolled through.

"_They're fucking late, damn it," _she grumbled impatiently.

She began to text her again but jumped and cringed when she heard pots and pans fall and clang loudly onto the floor coming from the bar's kitchen. The sound of metal clanking together always gave her the chills. She knew why and it was rather fitting actually that she would hear that sound while she was waiting for those two bimbos. After all, it was them that were the new partners in crime now. She smiled sinisterly.

Jolene Parker hated how metal sounded clanking together. It felt so cold to her and loud and solid. It freaked her out every time she heard it. She knew that the sound of prison cell doors clanking regularly would upset anyone if they heard it enough.

The metallic sound made her think back to how she got into this money making scheme. She had one of the best opportunities fall in her lap and she was psyched about it. The funny thing was, she would have done it for half the price after the way Nick treated her in that hospital. Who the fuck did he think he was tossing her out of Jules' room like she was a piece of trash?

"_Fuck you, Nick Stokes, fuck you,_" she whispered and raised her eyebrow, "_not such a fuckin' big shot now are ya_!" she smirked.

She began to smile wide as she thought back to their meeting and conversation. She remembered it like it was just yesterday….

Jolene spotted him instantly as he was walked in with his cuffs attached to each wrist snugly, and his orange jumpsuit looking a size too big. He shuffled over to her with a smile on his face. "_Damn, he was still a handsome son of a gun, even with a slightly crooked nose,"_ she thought to herself. Jolene could not for the life of her figure out how her daughter couldn't see it. _"That man had the perfect combination…money, power, and good looks. And she let him go? Stupid, stupid, stupid. That kid turned out to be a real dumb, stupid, idiot,"_ she nearly said her thoughts out loud.

Sitting down across from her, he nodded "_hello_" to her. The tall and stocky prison guard stood next to the table and rattled off the rules quickly and with a matter of fact demeanor. Once the guard walked to over to the wall, Jolene started the conversation.

"Should I be flattered you used a limited call on me?" she smiled a little too flirtatiously..

"Yea, I guess you should," he smiled back at her from across the small table in the Nevada State Prison visitation room.

"I'm sorry it's been a while since I visited you…I um.." she began before he cut her off.

"Hey, hey, Jo, don't think twice about it. I know you moved far from here. It's all good. You know I love you…you're like… you're my mother in law!" he smirked before they both busted up with roaring laughter.

The guard coughed loudly as a signal to keep it down.

"Listen, I do want to thank you for everything you have given to me. I wouldn't be living in the place I got if it weren't for you. God knows I couldn't depend on my daughter to help me."

"I know, I know, your daughter made a shitload of money in New Jersey and that selfish brat wouldn't give you a penny?" he egged her on, "…it's simply terrible… absolutely sad, really," he shook his head with feigned disgust. "That's why I made sure I could help you, Jo," he winked.

"And that you did, and that you did. You were a faithful guy from the minute you found out I was Jules' mama," she smiled, " And I appreciate it."

"Well, I appreciate you," he stared at her gearing up for his plan. "And I hope you know that I have worked hard at making sure you were taken care of while I am in here."

"Oh, yeah, yeah, of course, I know," she nodded emphatically. "I appreciate it, really! I know it ain't easy getting your ducks in order from in here," she winked.

She was letting him know she knew it wasn't easy for him to keep an eye on his finances from the inside. Although, Jolene Parker didn't know the truth at all. He was well connected and still had his hands in multiple pots…each pot illegal, of course. The handsome man with the crooked nose might have once been a good man, but the man he was had long been dead.

Jimmy Cole was not the type of man normal people would be impressed with. Cole turned into a money and power hungry criminal a long time ago and he still had the need to control everything. He also still could not live with the fact that he could not have the one girl he wanted most. Jules was **his **girl. She told him it would be forever. He tried to get her to remember that forever meant forever! He furrowed his brow and let his thoughts run wild. "_Yeah, so, it's true, I did slap her around, but it didn't mean I didn't love her...she didn't have to leave **me** for it. And yeah, I did beat her into a coma, but Goddamn it she asked for it! Why can't anybody see that? I didn't mean to hurt her that bad...I didn't mean to almost kill her,"_ Jimmy grumbled silently.

Jimmy Cole's last futile attempt to win Jules back from Nick Stokes was holding her against her will at Nick's neighbor's house. _"I was only trying to make her understand how much I loved her. She didn't have to shoot me! Fucking little bitch!"_ Cole's anger started to rise just thinking about how she turned on him. Thinking about her CSI coming to her rescue. He felt his rage and he stifled it in order to have this conversation with Jolene.

He regrouped his thoughts and changed his demeanor. He smiled at Jolene, he wanted her to believe it took a lot for him to keep her taken care of. The fact was he made a fortune selling drugs and pimping his girls over the years. He knew were his money was stashed. He knew where it was invested and who had access to it. To throw Jules' mother a bone here and there was easy for him. It didn't hurt him one way of the other, but he knew it would help keep her under his thumb for when the time came. And whether Jolene knew it or not, the time was now.

"So, why did you call me?" she asked as she snapped her gum.

"Well, I know this girl. She came to town, gee, I don't know…God quite a few years ago now? I don't remember, but anyway, she came to town and got herself into the Show Girl life. Well, Jo, that life ain't for everybody, ya know?" he nodded as he spoke, "it's a damn cut throat line of work."

Jolene nodded and listened intently.

"Well, anyway, that gig dried up fast for her, as they usually do. She didn't have what it took, I guess, I don't know," he shrugged, " All I know is she went on to dance at the casino bars, then to the local bars until she finally landed on her ass at my strip club. Bing, bang, boom. She was a fallen star…poor kid."

"Do I know her or something? Why you telling' me this, Cole?" she scratched the back of her head.

"Oh, yeah well, I'm getting to that," he put his cuffed hands up to wave some patience her way.

"Well, turns out she and I had a nice talk one night and she mentions she was originally from Texas. Now, let's face it Jolene, Texas is a big ass state, so what are the chances that she not only knows Nick Stokes but she dated the mother fucker too!" he shakes his head dramatically. "I mean really! You can imagine my shock? You just can't make this shit up!" they laughed together.

"Well anyway, as I was saying, I told her to call me if she ever has a run in or an opportunity to have a run in with CSI Asshole. I told her there could be a huge payoff for that kind of situation, ya know?" he smirked.

"Ohhhh, I think I am following ya now!" Jolene smirked back.

"So, I'll cut to the chase for ya…This girl just sent me a letter and in the letter was her new phone number…she had moved back to Texas….and she said she had information I might want and was wondering how much would it be worth to me," Jimmy nodded his head up and down showing how interested he really was. "So, I give the broad a call as soon as I can and I ask her what she's got."

"Come on, Cole! You're killing me! What's she got!?" Jolene tapped her long, red, nails on the table excitedly.

"Ok, ok, she told me she had information about a wedding she would be going to and guess who would be in the wedding party right along side her?" Jimmy laughed loudly.

"No! No!" Jolene gasped, "…you're lying!" she smiled.

"Ohhh yes!" he smiled back proudly. "So I offered her a deal. I told her if she could find a way to fuck with Stokes and make him miserable I would pay her five G's. AND, wait, wwwwaaait, here is an even better offer…" he said keeping Jolene from almost interrupting him.

"I told her, if she had the power to **break up **the Stokes' pathetic marriage then she was guaranteed double as a bonus.

"Yeah? And…and so tell me, will she do it?!" she wrung her hands together.

"Oh yeah, she wants to go for the jackpot," he laughed.

"You're willing to pay her ten grand? To break up Jules and Nick? Extreme don't ya think, Cole?" she said.

Cole frowned.

"I got nothing but misery from those two. I got a busted nose. I got a bullet still stuck in my shoulder blade. I am locked up in this hell hole…all because I was trying to show Jules that she still loves me. And what do I get? _**Misery**_. And then to add insult to those wounds…she marries the mother fucker! Did you know they have a kid now too?" Cole's face turned red with rage.

"Actually, no…. girl or boy?" Jolene asked.

"Who gives a fuck? You got a granddaughter…congratulations!" he growled.

Jolene nodded not really caring one way or the other.

"Okay then, Cole, I get it. You want them to suffer now too. I don't blame you. But, um, you're gonna offer me some of that cash now, right?" the greed crept back into her eyes.

"I called you first, Lovely Lady," he winked again. "Now here is where you come in…I need you to fly out to Texas. Don't worry, I will hook ya up with a first class ticket," he raises an eyebrow, "I need you to meet with her and give her three grand to let her feel it in her hands…incentive, ya know?."

"Yeah? That's it, Cole?" she squished up her face unsure. "How come you just don't wire it to her or something?"

"No can do. I want nothing traced back to me. And it's not like I can write her a check!" he looks around at his surroundings, " or stroll into a Western union, ya know what I mean?" he chuckled.

Jolene nodded and smirked. "And you need me to do something else don't ya?"

"You got it little lady!" he laughed. "I will pay you for your troubles. I will give you a ticket to Texas, a hotel stay for a week in a beautiful suite just for shits and giggles. Enjoy yourself."

Jolene stared knowing damn well he was gonna give her more if she waited before showing any emotion.

"Annnd, I will give you an extra two grand for whatever you want," he said.

"Now we're talkin', Cole!" she grinned.

Cole laughed out loud. "Wanna speak my language a little more?" he asked.

She nodded interested.

"I want you to scare the mother fuckin shit out of her. I will double your cash if you let her know that I will …well, you know…" he looked on each side of him to be sure no one was listening to him incriminate himself.

"Let her know, Jolene, if she should open her fucking pie hole to anyone about what she's done and who had her do it, I would have no problems showing her what a bad idea that would be," he looked around as he lowered his voice to a whisper.

"Deal! I'll do it. Not a problem. You think I don't want to see that prick crash and burn? I wouldn't mind seeing my daughter feel a little pain for not coming to see me when I asked. For not contacting me. Never seeing if I could use some financial support. Selfish little shit, " she frowned feeling like she deserved all of it. "I wondered if Nick ever told her I was in Room 507 trying to make amends for the past. I wonder…OHHHH…," she stops and her eyes grow wide, "…Ohhh, and I'd like to fuck Warrick over good too…:" she stared off.

"Not interested in your vendetta for Warrick Brown, Jolene," he said uninterested in her feelings, "you want this, or not?"

"Ohhhh, I want this. Just tell me when and where!" she replied happily. "Give me the details, Cole…I'm listening,"

"I knew you would come through for me, Lovely Lady," he smiled.

"Now…what I need you to do is make contact with a girl named…

Brooke Latham."

* * *

Jolene was startled when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Hi, Jolene," she said quietly, "This is Alicia…the one who will take the pictures."

"_**Don't care, Doll**_," she snapped. "I have your money, but you will only get three now."

"**WHY**?" her eyes grew wide, "I'm giving Alicia a thousand dollars to take these pictures…I need it!" Brooke complained.

"Because Cole wants to see the job was done right. In few days, I am going to take the pictures and tell Jimmy it's done. If he gives the okay, then I will call you to meet me in my hotel room…come alone. Once your paid, your job is done, I will take the pictures back to Cole."

The pretty blond nodded.

"Hey, can I have my cash and let me out of here now?" Alicia said as she brushed her dark, shiny, hair away from her eye.

"Yep, good idea. You only have your one job," Jolene nodded , "but you only get half too. I will give Brooke your other half at the hotel."

Alicia nodded. Jolene reached into Brooke's envelope and took out five hundred dollars. Handing it to Alicia from across the table, the girl took it and didn't bother to count it. She just stood up and grabbed her purse off the table.

"Thanks, Ladies. Thank you very much." she nodded, "pleasure doing business with ya and I will see you tomorrow, Brooke. I'll wait for your call," she laughed and headed toward the door.

Brooke stared at Jolene.

"Well?" she said in a low southern drawl.

"Jimmy says thank you," she handed her a business size envelope with a lump of cash inside, "and if it turns out to be a job well done…then expect the other half…and maybe a bonus."

Brooke Latham smiled wide.

"Oh, it will be a job well done…I can promise you that."

"That's exactly what we wanted to hear..." Jolene smiled wide.


	24. On the Rocks

_**On the Rocks**_

* * *

The loud buzz always made her jump, well that and the sound of slamming metal doors. She sat waiting for Jimmy Cole to shuffle over to the table and tell her what the new information was he bragged about when they spoke the other day.

"Hey, Jo," he said as he sat in front of her.

"What's the good word, Cole?" she said and smiled.

"Well, you did good, Lovely Lady," he grinned.

"I just got word that our happy CSI was thrown out of that nice, big, house he has with **my **girl... he's been out for three weeks already."

"_**NO**_! She did it! It worked?" she nearly yelled.

"Yes, but I also hear he has been sniffing around and she might be wavering. I need more. I need a nail in that coffin," he frowned thinking.

"Yeah, sounds like it," Jolene said, "I'm not surprised, Cole, those two are pretty damned tight.

"I don't want to hear that, Jo," Cole frowned before continuing. "I need you to fly back out to Texas. I need you to meet with Brooke Latham again, and tell her I know the CSI was thrown out and I am pleased," he nodded. "I want you to give her the rest of the money I promised," he said.

Jolene Parker nodded, "Right, I get it."

"I want you to tell her **if **she can continue to make their lives miserable, I will pay her more. And the offer still stands **if **she can get a divorce out of these two lovebirds, I'll throw another three to five grand her way…a bonus, if you will, depending on how well she does," he growled, "In fact, tell her I threw in an extra five hundred just for splashing that shit all over Jules' FaceBook wall…**BRILLIANT**!"

"She did? How do you know that?" Jolene asked.

"C'mon, Little Lady!" he laughed, "Are you serious? I know everything!" Cole started laughing at the thought of Jules' face when she saw her husband having his old girlfriend straddle him and getting it on all over her FaceBook wall. He wondered how many of her friends saw it even before she did.

"Wow, Cole, you're _**really **_giving the bucks away. What's in it for me?" she said with greed in her blood.

"Don't I always take care of you?" he told her, 'You will get another thousand, first class air fair and a nice hotel for the weekend...all expenses paid. Don't be greedy, Jo, or I will get someone else to do it!" he told her outright.

"No, no, Cole, I'll do it," she back pedaled.

* * *

Jolene smiled at the stewardess and ordered another Scotch on the rocks, and guzzled it down like water. She was proud to be carrying thousands of dollars in her purse. It gave her an arrogance even though the money wasn't even hers.

Jolene rested her head back on the leather airplane seat and thought about how nice the hotel was she stayed at last time she was in Texas. She knew Cole would hook her up with another beautiful suite. She loved it. She felt like a real important lady. She thought about her daughter. She never wanted that kid, but Juliana Parker turned out to be a great bargaining chip but even still, she couldn't stomach her.

"_She thinks she is so smart. She is a stupid idiot. How she could throw away such a powerful rich guy for a CSI was absolutely ridiculous. She thinks she's too high and mighty to be with a dealer and a pimp. She'd rather be with a mediocre CSI?" _she laughed to herself. _"Idiot. Please, money is money and damn Cole makes a lot of it. Even from prison that man has his hooks in the business…you're too stupid to know that aren't ya, Juliana." _

Cole impressed Jolene highly. Her daughter, on the other hand, made her sick. _"Why Cole even tried so hard to keep you blows my mind," _she laughed out loud before realizing she should be quieter on the plane, _"He tried hard to keep ya and I couldn't get rid of you fast enough." _The thought struck her funny.

Jolene thought about the day she decided to unload her baggage. She thought about dropping her baby off at a Safe Haven but the only one she knew of was across town and she really didn't feel like going ten miles out of the way. After all, she had plans and she had a destination to get to. She had a new life to start and damn it, nothing was going to hold her back from her dream; certainly not a six month old baby girl. So, she figured leaving her in the crib was good enough.

"_Heck, _she thought, _"I locked the door at least. Whatever,"_ she thought to herself, _"…that was the past. I am still her mother, and she could still throw me some of that money she has. Greedy little wench. Who the fuck makes nearly two hundred thousand dollars a year in the first few years of their career? For Christ's sake, the girl was only twenty three when she got that job. Then by twenty four she get's a job in Jersey making that ridiculous amount of money? Fucking lucky bitch." _It truly infuriated Jolene. _"Who would have thought **my **daughter could be so smart?"_

Jolene thought hard. She furrowed her brow and bit her bottom lip. _"I'm pretty sure it was Frank that knocked me up. He wasn't so smart. Could have been Artie but he's too stupid to be her father. I guess her father must be Pete from the Tavern. He was pretty smart, I think. All I know is I surely can't take all the credit for giving that girl the brains she had to become a top chemist in her field," _she said to herself.

She squinted her eyes in deep thought. _"I can't imagine Esther Brown teaching her anything but ghetto shit," _she pondered. _"And who the fuck did Esther Brown think she was? A fucking hero? Please. And Warrick...Warrick was such a nosy, little, fuck. Who said he could look into my window and get that baby?" _she grumbled. _"Now she thinks she is a '**Brown**'? Unbelievable. Yeah right, Juliana, you're so smart you think you're a BLACK family's kid. Idiot, idiot, idiot!"_ she felt like yelling it in the plane but instead she just ordered yet another Scotch on the rocks.

"_We'll see who the winner is, Juliana. You think you can make such a cozy life for yourself. You think you can dismiss me like a piece of shit? You think you can keep all that cash to yourself and share it only with your CSI loser? Well, I can't wait to watch you crash and burn and be a single mother. Let's see if you think you're so great at it. Maybe you won't be so quick to judge me!" _she frowned angrily and threw back more of her Scotch.

* * *

A limousine met her outside the airport and took her to the fancy hotel she stayed in last time. She smirked as she got off the elevator on the concierge level. She walked with a drunken stagger down the hall and went into her lovely suite. She threw herself on the bed and passed out for an hour before getting up and running the bath.

As she lay soaking in the jet tub she picked up the phone and called Brooke Latham.

"Listen, Doll. I made it here and I want to see you. Jimmy Cole is pleased with you and has the rest of your cash. He also has another opportunity for you," she told her.

"I like the sound of that!" Brooke said, "when do you want to see me?"

"How about in an hour…nah, make it two," Jolene felt important ordering her around.

"I'll be there," Brooke said happily.

"I don't doubt it, Doll," Jolene said and hung up without saying goodbye.


	25. Negotiations

**_Negotiations_**

* * *

She felt proud to be able to go up to the top floor. _"Wow," _she thought, _"I never been up to the VIP Concierge Level before."_ Brooke was impressed and liked the idea of living this kind of life. She smiled at the host who greeted her and he pointed her in the direction of Suite 3167. Brooke marveled at the plush surroundings and decided she would do whatever it takes to live this lifestyle. She was lured in and she wanted it at any cost.

Brooke knocked on the door and waited a few minutes before it opened. Jolene had just gotten out of the tub and was enveloped in a white, plush, robe. She sashayed to the door taking her time as if she was the queen. Opening the door she smiled, invited Brook in and looked her up and down.

"Damn, Honey, I'm no lesbian but you are one little sweet bitch!" Jolene told her.

"Uh, thanks…I think?" Brooke said unsure if that was a compliment.

"No, No, that's a compliment, Doll. I don't usually swing that way, well unless I get paid enough, but I'd do you for free!" Jolene laughed.

"Oh. Uh, then thanks, I guess," Brooke looked confused.

Jolene walked over to the bar and poured Brooke a very strong Scotch. Brooke took a sip and her eyes widened.

"Look, Doll, if you're gonna do business with the big guns then you better learn how to drink a stiff one!" she berated.

Jolene was drunk. She was on a high too. She thought she was the King of the World. Nothing could stop her. She was just too fabulous and she wanted man and woman to bow to her.

Brook nodded and took a gulp to show Jolene she was up for the challenge and could play in the big league. This made Jolene feel even more powerful. It would also help make Brooke feel drunk faster.

"Well, I got a stack of cash for you, Doll… Cole is happy," she said and led her into the sitting area of her suite, "he told me you can even earn a few extra grand if you're interested," Jolene said.

"Really? What do I have to do?" she said excitedly.

"He wants you to fracture Jules and Nick's marriage completely. Jules seems to be weakening. If you can put a nail in the coffin he will give you and extra…um…and extra TWO thousand dollars!" Jolene told her knowing full well Cole told her to give her three extra thousand.

She suddenly had an idea. She wanted to see how far this blond beauty would go for money. It made the power in her veins pulsate.

"Really! No shit!" Brooke nodded enthusiastically. "Wow, that stupid bitch is weakening? She has pictures of her husband with another woman and she doesn't care? What an idiot!"

"THAT'S what I said! **Idiot**!" they laughed loudly and Jolene got up, took Brooke's glass, and filled it with another Scotch and soda.

"So, did Cole tell me what he wants me to do?" Brooke asked unsure and grimaced a bit at how strong her drink was.

She could feel it loosening her up. She looked around the room and loved how it was decorated. She loved the bar. She loved the sitting area. She always wanted to stay in places like this. She deserved to stay in places like this. She would do anything to wake up here, to order room service, and demand that they bring her what she wants and to make it fast.

"So, two grand extra, huh?" she said before taking another sip.

Jolene looked over at Brooke's long, firm, dark legs. She loved it that when she made a sexual comment to her it got her nervous. She liked the idea that this girl never went to the other side. She looked at her as prey. She didn't even like women that way…usually. But she was going to be the one making deals and she got to watch how far someone would go for money. She was tired of it being the other way around her whole life.

"Well…" Jolene baited her.

"Well?" she furrowed her brow.

"I could offer you another five hundred, but…" she paused, "well actually a grand I could do…your choice, really" she raised her eyebrow.

"**HOW**!" Brooke said loudly.

"You want five hundred more? I go down on you. A grand? You'll go down on me too," she smirked knowing she was actually using Brooke's money. It was what Cole was paying her anyway.

"Oh, oh, I uh, I don't…I never…," she stuttered and took a gulp of her scotch.

Jolene felt the challenge and the thrill of the catch.

"Ok, up to you. Quick money, I say. Nothing like an extra _**THOUSAND **_dollars."

The way she said thousand made Brooke's mouth water. She looked around at the beautiful drapes and the empty glass she was holding looked like the finest crystal. Jolene took the glass from her and walked to the bar. Pouring herself drink and another for Brooke she laughed silently, _"A drink for me and a drink for the dumb blond who is going to eat pussy for money that was hers to begin with_," Jolene nearly laughed out loud. Walking back to Brooke with both drinks in her hand she let her robe swing open.

Brooke swallowed hard and caught a glimpse of Jolene's naked body. She didn't look bad at all. She still had a cute figure, Brooke thought silently. Jolene smirked knowing Brooke was looking and mulling over the idea.

"Well, do you want me to let you or not?" Jolene asked as if she was doing her the favor.

Brooke wanted to say yes, she wanted that money bad but she just didn't think she could be with a woman.

"Yeah, yeah," Brooke paused and Jolene was feeling arrogant, "about that…um. Yeah, no, no I can't do it," she explained, "I mean it's fine for some but it's just not something I want to get into it," she slurred.

She knew she was giving up a lot of money. She knew it ruined her chance of staying in such a fancy hotel but perhaps there was a bit of Brooke that couldn't be bought after all.

Jolene's mouth fell open. She was wet thinking about ruling over someone. She frowned and then laughed.

"Well, well…you're actually not such a dumb blonde after all. This is **all your **money. It was a test. I wanted to see how far you would go for a buck. Good work because…let me tell ya something, Doll…"

Jolene walked up to Brooke and grabbed her face squeezing her cheeks together.

"Cole did tell me to make sure you understood that he will chop you up into tiny mother fuckin' pieces if you open your mouth and say who put this plan in motion," Jolene got right in Brooke's face, "I don't care if someone offers you **double **what Cole is giving you…you do not take it, and you shut your fucking pie hole or he will have you KILLED!"

Jolene looked her dead in the eye and whispered, "And trust me, Doll, he will do it. He will make it happen, I can promise you that…**don't fuck with him, Brooke**! Don't fuck with US!" She added the "us" to add to her power trip.

Brooke nodded fearfully. She knew she was in deep with these people. She knew they weren't playing and she was in a little over her head. She thought she wanted this life but she was very intimidated now. She would do what Cole asked. She would put a nail in Jules and Nick's marriage. She wanted to do that anyway…money or no money. Then she needed to get far away from these people.

Brooke stood up and felt the room spin; she was definitely on her way to getting very drunk.

"Just tell Cole I will be giving Jules a call and by the time I am done with her, she will believe her husband is a lying, piece of shit, cheater," she laughed and so did Jolene.

Jolene handed Brooke a thick, money filled, envelope and told her she would be in touch.

Brooke nodded, placed her drink on the bar, the envelope in her purse, and she left the half naked woman and the fancy hotel room behind.


	26. Shop 'til You Drop

With the blinds pulled up as high as they could go, Emma stood on the couch and leaned on the back of the living room couch to look out the big bay window.

"Why it takin' Uncle Wick so long?" she frowned.

Jules could hear her talking to herself in the next room. She was waiting for her uncle who told her he would be coming over to see her. Emma adored Warrick and he felt the same way about her. In fact, Jules always told him he needed to stop spoiling her; he never listened.

Trista yelled out from the kitchen to Emma. "Hey Kiddo, is Uncle Warrick here yet?" she asked.

"**NO**! No he not!" she said angrily with her elbows propped up on the back of the couch and her hands holding up her cheeks.

"Let me know, okay?" Trista yelled back.

Trista wanted Warrick to hurry up and get there because he would be watching Emma while she and Jules spent some girl time alone and hit the boutiques on the strip. It was long over due Trista informed Jules. Jules agreed and so when Warrick said he wanted to see his "Tiny Girl", as he called her, she asked if he minded if they left her with him . He never minded, in fact once he was his niece he didn't care who else was there. Warrick was as good an uncle to Emma as he was a brother to Jules.

Suddenly Warrick's truck pulled in front of their home and Emma squealed with excitement.

"Uncle Wick is here!" she said hopping up and down on the cushions.

Trista looked over at Jules and smirked.

"I love the way she says 'here'…I love the way she says anything with an 'R' sound," she told Jules.

Trista always said Emma sounded like she had a New York accent when she talked; it struck her funny and she loved it.

"Emma stop jumping on my couch!" Jules yelled to her daughter.

Warrick walked up the walkway and headed up the stairs to the big front door. He had no time to even knock because Emma flung open the door and grinned.

"Hey, is Emma home?" Warrick asked in a serious tone.

"Me is Emma! That me!" she told him.

"No, no, I am looking for my niece Emma, she is a little girl, not this big girl in front of me!" he told her as he began walking inside.

"Uncle Wick, me is Emma! I is big now!" she argued.

Once she began to get upset, Warrick scooped her up in his arms and growled into her neck.

"I know, I know, Tiny! I will know you forever, don't you know that?" he told her.

"You was teasin' me!" she grinned and laughed.

"Yes, Tiny, yes I was," he laughed.

Trista walked into the foyer.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, get a move on, Big Man…we got some serious shopping therapy to do and you have been holding us up!" she said.

"Get away from me," he slung Emma onto his hip and walked past her making sure he bumped her shoulder with his as he walked by.

Trista and Warrick have always gotten a cheap thrill out of bickering. It was just their way and Jules was used to it.

"Yaw not bein' very nice, Uncle Wick," Emma scolded him in her New York accent.

Warrick just laughed and walked into the kitchen with her. Trista followed behind grumbling something Jules couldn't hear.

"Will you two ever play nice?" Jules said smiling as her brother placed Emma on the countertop.

"In her dreams," he scoffed.

"He wishes," Trista yelled at the same time.

Jules grabbed her purse off the desk and kissed her brother as she walked by.

"You don't mind us leaving you?" she asked before she walked out the door.

"Would you stop! Get out of here! Goodbye!" he yelled.

* * *

By the time Trista and Jules got home Warrick was watching the game on TV and Emma was curled up asleep with her head on his leg.

He looked over at them and shook his head.

Trista looked at him shaking his head and began shaking her own.

"What the hell is that look for?" she growled at Warrick.

"What the hell could you possibly have bought to fill up all those bags?" he asked.

"Therapy, Rick. It's called therapy! The girl needs to be set free!" Trista said back to him.

"Yeah, yeah, you buy things to set yourself free, Trist?" he mocked her.

"Go set your ass free out the front door, would ya?" she said throwing a couple of bags on the chair in the corner.

"Shut up, both of you already!" Jules said kicking off her shoes and heading for the bags Trista put on the couch.

"Tell **HER **that," Warrick smirked knowing it would continue their bickering.

"Hey Warrick?" Trista said sweetly to him.

"What?" he frowned at her.

"How about you…I don't know..um…_**SHUT THE FUCK UP**_? Yeah, that's it," she tried to keep a serious face when she said it.

"**TRISTA**!" Jules yelled and smacked her arm.

"See how she talks to me, Baby Girl?" Warrick whined.

"I can't take either one of ya! Do you two ever NOT fight? **AHHH**!" she groaned.

The two women grabbed their packages and headed up to Jules bedroom.

Trista looked over at Warrick as she passed and gave him the finger all the way out of the room.

"Nice, nice…girl's got class," Warrick chuckled at her.

* * *

Once upstairs, Jules and Trista sprawled everything out on the bed. Jules bought a dress she swore she had no place to wear it to but just had to have it. She almost put it back but Trista refused to allow it.

"Okay, but I'm trying it on again and if I hate the way it fits it's going back," she told Trista.

"Fine, fine, but it's nice, I swear, it's perfect!" her best friend defended.

Jules threw off her shirt and jeans and stepped into the dress. Trista zipped the back and they both looked at Jules' reflection in the mirror.

"Well?" Jules asked.

"Honestly? It's a little too long," Trista answered, "I'm gonna pin it and have Natalie hem it up later. Nat hems all my shit for me…she's good at it!"

"I thought Brett does it," Jules said and twisted her lips unsure if that was accurate or not.

"NO! **Nevvver**! Ohhhh, God forbid! Brett? Oh no, he takes it all to the tailors!" she laughed and grabbed the straight pins out of the top drawer, and knelt in front of Jules with some pins dangling from her mouth.

She was on her knees and an elbow when the phone rang.

"Don't even think about moving!" she mumbled with a few pins sticking out of her mouth.

When it rang a third time, Trista groaned.

"Your asshole brother can't get that?" she said from the floor.

"Easy, easy, Killer, he probably dozed off," she said, "I can reach the speaker on the base if you just let me lean!"

"Do you have to answer it?" she asked as it rang the fourth time.

"I can't stand a ringing phone!" she grumbled and leaned over and hit the speaker button.

Trista looked up from the floor frowning.

"Hello?" Jules answered.

"Um, hi, is this Jules?" a southern, feminine voice asked.

"Yes, yes it is," Jules answered.

"Hi Jules, it's me…it's Brooke Latham."

Jules whipped her head to look at the speaker as if she would be standing there.

Trista jerked up upright on her knees with her mouth open too.

"Brooke? Are you kidding me?" she asked, "Wait, Brooke Latttthhhhammm?" she said dragging her name out in disbelief.

"Uh huh, yes, listen, I just…just hear me out, okay?" she said, "I, I want to apologize for allowing it to go so far with Nicky. I um, well, you seem like a really nice girl and I would never…"

"Whoa, whoa, why are you calling me Brooke? To apologize?" she said and her throat tightened.

Trista jumped up from the floor and tore off down the stairs to find Warrick half asleep on the couch next to his little niece.

She slapped him hard in the shoulder and he gave her a nasty look.

"What the hell is wrrronnnng with youuu?" he said startled.

"Get the fuck upstairs! You gotta hear this! Brooke Latham just called your sister. It's on speaker phone!"

The two of them ran so fast up the staircase they were in the room within seconds, just in time to hear Brooke answer Jules.

"Yes, yes, I guess that is why I am calling. I feel terrible and well Nicky told me how upset you are and well we talked about this and …" Brooke said in a deep southern accent.

Her accent reminded Jules of Nick's. It made her sick. What she was saying was making Jules sick. The thought of Nick and Brooke even conversing about their marriage was sickening. The thought of them talking at all was making her sick. Everything about this conversation was making her feel sick and her head began to pound.

"You two talked about this? Wait…_**STOP**_, stop right now," she said with her voice shaking," I don't need to hear this. This is between me and my husband."

"Yes but, well, I don't want you two to divorce because he and I had one night that we foolishly gave in to our attraction. It just wouldn't be right," she explained.

"Brooke, I will not discuss this with you. You knew Nick was married and you had no respect for me when you …when you…" Jules paused realizing she wasn't ever sure what Nick did with her.

From the pictures there wasn't any sex going on, so she was pretty sure that wasn't it but none the less it was bad, she knew **that **for sure. She had a flash of her bare beasts in Nick's hands.

"Brooke? What…_**what**_…did you do with my husband?" she stuttered the question.

"Aw Honey, Nicky didn't tell you? Well, well then maybe I should just leave that alone. I don't want to say anything if he didn't confide in you," she said sweetly.

"Confide? Excuse me? He is my husband, Brooke. We confide in each other!" she yelled.

"Wow, gee, look, um, I didn't mean to upset you…"

Warrick and Trista looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

Warrick looked over at his sister and mouthed "_**HANG UP ON HER**_!"

Brooke continued, "…I didn't mean to upset you. I just meant …well, if he confides in you then you would know we slept together," she said coyly.

Jules felt her knees go out. She stumbled to her bed….The bed she has shared with Nick for over six years. She hung onto the thick, cherry wood bedpost.

Warrick took a step toward but stopped knowing it would make it worse if he went to her.

"_**No you didn't. **_You fooled around. But there was no sex, Brooke. I know Nick. I know him and he wouldn't do that!" she yelled out with her voice shaking and her hand gripping the comforter.

"Jules, Honey, it was just a one night thing…I…"

"**DO NOT **call me **HONEY**, you nasty bitch!" she screamed as she felt the blood boiling inside her.

"I'm a nasty bitch? Hey! Look I was calling to say I am sorry and to tell you that I will not answer Nick's calls anymore because I feel really bad about breaking someone's marriage up. But ya know what? Nick was right, you can get 'ghetto bitch' and be a snob at the same time! No wonder he wanted something new. No wonder why he fucked me for hours that night. And Jules? I do mean he **ROCKED MY WORLD FOR HOURS**! Did you even wonder why he stumbled in at 5 am? That man can go on like a machine!" she said with attitude.

"You **BITCH**! You are a horrible human being! We have a baby that adores us **both **and you call me up and want to say you are sorry for ruining our lives?" she said with her voice cracking in pain at the revelation that Nick had sex with her…for hours.

"Whoa, whoa, I didn't act alone. He had a choice. I am sorry but **NICK **came on to **ME**. He is the one responsible for keeping his dick in his pants and should have been thinking about his family first. He chose not to do that. He also chooses to continuously call me. He also…"

"I can't. I can't do this! I do not believe you. **You are a liar**!" she said and stormed from her bedroom and into the spare room.

She slammed the door, threw herself on the bed and sobbed.

Warrick went after her.

Trista went to the speaker phone.

"Brooke?"

"Yes?"

"Let me tell you this. If you **ever **call Jules again I promise you…with every breath I take…I will make it my business to find you…I **WILL** find you and beat you down so badly you will need surgery just to reconstruct your face!" she pounded her fist on the dresser, "I have nothing to lose, Brooke. I have no babies to worry about. I have _**nothing **_to lose, Bitch. Just try me!" Trista spat with pure venom.

Brooke hung up; she was startled because by the tone of that girl's voice. She didn't know who that girl was but she unnerved her a bit because she was pretty damned sure that that sick bitch wasn't making idle threats.

Although Brooke may have been startled and hung up fast, she still smirked devilishly because she knew, without even a tinge of doubt, that the damage had already been done.


	27. Destroyed

**Chapter 27**

Sitting beside his sister, hearing her sob, and watching her back shake as she cried hard, made Warrick not only heartsick but furious. He wanted to kill Nick. He wanted to strangle him with his bare hands. How could he? How could he destroy what he had with Jules? So many times Warrick would see the family Nick had and it made him wish he could find that kind of love too. A girl who he could love the way Nick loved Jules and one that would love him back the same way. He wished he could have all of it…a wife he adored and who adored him, a beautiful little girl, the house on a nice street with friends and family who love them. They had no worries. They had everything. And just like that, he threw it away. Warrick was a gambling man and even HE wouldn't have risked it all.

"Baby Girl, I, I…" Warrick didn't even know what to say.

"I'm okay, Warrick. I just needed to cry for a minute, that's all. I'll be okay," she said as she sat up and faced him.

He watched her try to put on a tough exterior for him.

"I just needed to cry the image of him in bed with her out of my…" her face fell into Warrick's shoulder and she wailed in pain.

She never in a million years thought of him having sex with someone else. She knew it was a possibility when she saw the pictures but…now it was **confirmed**. Jules knew he was a sex animal but she thought she was just what brought it out in him. She thought he only felt that way with her. Apparently she was wrong. Nick didn't just get hot and bothered over her…he was just plain sex crazed.

Warrick held her head to his chest and felt his own heart crack. He closed his eyes and stroked her hair and just let her cry and cry. He listened to her ask him "Why" over and over but he had no answer.

"Why, Rick? Why? Whhhhy?" she cried.

"I don't know, Baby Girl, I don't know," he would whisper back sadly.

"But why? Why?" she would repeat herself. "Why wasn't I enough? What did she have that I didn't?" she begged to know.

"Nothing, Baby Girl. You're the perfect package, honey, I swear to God, I don't understand it," he explained.

When her sobs stopped she backed away and Warrick could see her physically toughening up. He knew she was building the wall. Grams hated when she would do that. She would shut down and let nothing penetrate her. She would make herself hardened and once she did that, it was hard to get her to feel anything. Warrick knew her and he could see her putting on her armor to protect herself…to keep strong and freeze out her pain.

"Warrick," she said stoically, "It's crazy, I know, but… I still believe in him," she said without looking at him.

"**Well don't**. Don't be stupid, Jules," he told her, "You are smarter than that. And stronger than that. You don't go back with a cheater. You are too good for that and deserve better," he insisted.

"**DAMN RIGHT**!" Trista said leaning against the door frame. "**Nick is an asshole**!"

Jules stood up.

"Look, I have a little girl down there," she said pointing," and that **asshole **your talking about is _**her father**_. I can't talk shit about him," she said and pushed past her leaving them alone in the room.

Jules stopped in the middle of the hallway and turned around.

"Who can stay here? Who can stay here with Emma? I gotta get out for a bit," she said.

"You want me to come with you?" Trista asked.

"**NO**, no, I just need air," she said walking into her bedroom.

Warrick looked down at the floor. He knew it. She was going to run. She always tried to outrun the pain. His sister was in pure heartbreak and there was nothing he could do but let her run from it. She would be back; she always came back. _It's just something she needs to do,_ he thought. He felt horrible. He wished he could get a hold of Nick. He needed desperately to beat him down; to unleash his rage. Jules was the runner but Warrick was the confronter. He had always been her Superman until he passed the torch to Nick. If he had only known what he knows now, he would never have let this happen.

Jules took off the dress she had been trying on and threw it on the floor in a ball. She didn't even bother to pick it up. She reached into her drawer and pulled out her comfortable, pale pink, Juicy Couture sweatpants and threw them on. A white, tight, tank top followed before she grabbed the matching jacket to the sweatpants and zipped herself up in it. She went to her closet grabbed a white baseball cap, put it on as she walked downstairs. She knew one of them, if not both of them, would stay with her daughter.

She didn't care that her makeup was completely off and her eyes were red and swollen. She just had to run away and even if it meant around the block.

* * *

Jules hadn't planned on driving there. She only planned to drive away to somewhere other than where she was. But there she was driving in the very direction she didn't want to be going in. Jules pulled into Greg Sander's complex and parked. She gripped the steering wheel tightly and said a silent prayer that she would have the courage to confront him calmly and lay it all out there. She needed to let him know she knew the truth now, and that she knew he was continuing to call Brooke.

She walked slowly up to the townhouse door and rang the bell. Nick answered and she could tell he had been sleeping.

"Jules," he said shocked. "Honey, what's the matter?" he said startled when he saw she had been crying.

"Nick…" she wanted to be civil and calm but she immediately lost her composure. "**YOU SLEPT WITH HER?" **she screamed.

"_**WHAT**_?" he said ushering inside.

"I knew you fooled around and that was horrendous but to hear it **confirmed**," she said.

Nick brought her to the couch and sat her down to where he obviously had been sleeping. He moved the pillow away and pushed the blanket aside.

"**WHHHY?" **she wailed. "**Why wasn't I enough for you? WHHHY?"**

Nick felt like he would crumble to hid knees at the sound of her wickedly painful cry. He thought he heard her most painful cry the day she threw him out but this…this was worse. This was pure heartbreak. He could feel his mouth hanging open but he couldn't seem to close it.

She sucked in a huge breath of air and began trying to talk again.

"The thought of you fooling around…going at it with her…the thought was horrific…but now fucking? _**Fucking her and KNOWING? KNOWING IT IS TRUE**_?" she said crying.

"_**I can't breath, Nicky. I can't fucking breathe!" **_she screamed.

He reached out and touched her arm and she jerked away from him. He knew then she was so wounded, so raw, she couldn't even let him touch her let alone hold her.

"Jules, listen to me. I am crazy in love with **YOU**, please believe me…_**PLEASE**_!" he was begging and his voice strained from holding back his own tears.

"**WHY **couldn't you just tell me? Why did you let me think we had a wonderful time in Texas? **WHY**?" she sobbed with her eyes red and swollen.

Nick stayed silent. He had no words. This was a nightmare he couldn't wake from.

"I can't do this anymore, Nick," she stood up and walked in circle with panic, "I love you, my God I love you, but this is too hard to take," she stared at him.

"I want out. I want out. I want out. I want out," she cried over and over.

Jules suddenly couldn't breathe. She tried to suck in a breath but it wasn't working. She truly couldn't catch her breath. The horror of hearing herself tell Nick she wanted out of their marriage was too much. She never realized how true it was, that when they told each other that being apart was like being without air, it was actually true. Jules was living it right there, at that moment. She couldn't breathe just at the thought of walking away and leaving Nick behind her.

Nick looked up from his seat. He had been hanging his head as he sat there, but when he heard her gasping for air he looked up at her with concern. He stood up and grabbed her. He pulled her to the couch and got on his knees in front of her. He held the sides of her arms and rubbed them up and down telling her softly to breathe.

"Slow down, Baby, breathe. Breathe with me…slllowww…SLLLOWWWLY …breathe…breathe" he breathed with her and she followed his breathing pattern until it slowed down.

She looked at him with fear in her eyes. Pure devastation.

"Jules, listen to me," he told her looking directly into her face.

She looked pale and wiped out.

"I need you to hear me and listen to me with this…" he put his hand to her heart, "you _KNOW _me. You know me… so give me the benefit of the doubt. Please, please trust me. I know I didn't sleep with her. I know I could never," he begged.

Jules nodded.

"Jules, you hear me?" he asked, "will you believe me? Stand by me…please?"

Jules stared. She heard him. She wanted to believe him. She did know him. At least she always believed that.

She wanted to tell him she believed him.

She opened her mouth to tell him she would stand by him and she heard her words….they weren't at all what she planned on saying. Instead, she heard herself tell him…

"**I want out**."

She stood up and walked to Greg Sander's front door. She didn't want to look back but she had to. She looked back and saw Nick still on his knees, his hands bracing himself on the couch cushions, and his head hanging down. She wanted to go to him and fall to the floor in next to him, but instead she saw the image of him fucking Brooke Latham for hours on end. She felt her stomach churn. Jules turned away unable to look at him. She held the doorknob to Greg's front door but suddenly just stopped and forced herself to turn toward Nick again and look at him. She needed to say one last thing.

"Nick, I **never **thought I could live without you…now, I don't think I could ever live with you either," she whispered with sheer pain in her voice, "Cowboy…uh, Nick…this is the end of the road for us."

He couldn't look up at her. **He was completely destroyed**. Whomever it was who was out to hurt him did just that. They shattered his heart completely and they shattered Jules' heart along with it.

No, Nick couldn't look up but he knew…he knew she had walked out and closed the door behind her.


	28. LifeLine

**Chapter 28**

He could feel the pain rising. It began in his chest, filtered through his lungs, pushed up to his throat and into his head. He felt his eyes burn with tears. He pressed his forehead to the black, leather, couch cushion and Nick Stokes cried. He cried harder than he ever had in his life.

_**He was broken.**_

* * *

Jules could feel the wind against her tear streaked face. She desperately needed to get to her vehicle as quickly as she possibly could. She felt dizzy and she was afraid her feet wouldn't hold her. She clicked the unlock button on her keychain and heard the locked doors of her SUV click open. She grabbed the handle and prepared to open it when she quickly turned her head, leaned over, and vomited all over the side of her front tire and onto the asphalt below. Just when she thought it was safe to get into her truck, she felt it rise up, and once again, she threw up violently in the parking lot.

_**She was destroyed.**_

Jules wasn't exactly sure how on earth she made it home. She didn't think her stomach would ever stop tossing and turning and she really didn't know it was possible for someone to see out of eyes that were as swollen as hers were. But, she did it. She got herself home.

Warrick and Trista were sitting on the steps waiting for her when she walked in. For an instant Jules found a slight bit of humor in seeing them sit together peacefully. But, it quickly faded when her brother stood up and grabbed her, pulling her to him.

"**WHOA**, whoa! You okay? You okay?" he said panicked.

"Jules! You don't look right, Honey!" Trista said rubbing her back, "Did you vomit or something? You're white as a ghost!"

Jules just stared. She had no words. No feeling left in her body.

She just wanted to sleep.

Actually, she wanted to die.

Trista was unzipping Jules' jacket when Jules heard the sound of little feet. Her pain began to lift and she realized that she did not want to die. She had a beautiful little girl who needed her.

"Mommy?" she said groggily.

"Aww, hi, Princess, did I wake you?" she managed to say.

Suddenly Jules had strength. She had an ability to talk and breath and feel.

"Yes," Emma said but she was half asleep when she said it so Jules knew it most likely wasn't even true.

Emma held her arms up and Jules picked her up. She was asleep as soon as her head hit her mother's shoulder.

Jules looked at her brother and her best friend.

"I am going to bed," she told them and headed upstairs with her daughter.

Instead of putting Emma in her own bed, Jules brought her into the bed she used to share with Nick.

The two of them snuggled up and, while Emma slept peacefully, Jules held her tight and cried and cried until she too fell asleep. Emma had no idea that she was her mother's lifeline that night. She gave her her strength to think clearly and move forward. Tomorrow was another day and she would live it…whether she had Nick in it or not. She had Emma and the love she felt for her could carry her through the darkest days. She was sure of it.

* * *

He wasn't sure how long he cried but it was long enough that there were actual tiny puddles of tears on Greg Sander's couch cushion. Finally, Nick rolled down from his knees and sat on the floor; he rested his back against the bottom of the couch. His breath shook each time he breathed in and out. He just couldn't stop the pain in his head nor the pain in his heart.

He closed his eyes and tried to remember sleeping with Brooke. None of it came back to him, not even messing around with her at all. He did vaguely remember going to Brooke's room...he couldn't remember why...and he remembered leaving her room, but he was sure she wasn't there when he left...or was she? He couldn't be sure of anything.

He imagined sleeping with Brooke and it made him sick. The only woman he ever wanted to be intimate with was Jules. She had been since the first time they found each other. He thought back to that day.

He could still see her in his black, CSI T shirt he gave her to use as a nightgown. He remembered the sexual tension they had and where he was standing in the kitchen when it all broke loose. Nick remembered their fight in that kitchen. They knew they had something huge between them but she didn't want to go against her brother's wishes and he didn't either. But when their eyes locked, he threw caution to the wind, and the two of them ignited a fire that has continued to burn from that day on.

He thought about the women he had slept with before Jules. He knew every one of them were good in bed, but nothing, and he meant nothing, compared to what he felt even the first time he was with Jules. He never felt anything like it. It was as if their souls collided. He used to laugh at people who thought they were in love with someone so quickly…he **NEVER** laughed at that idea again after meeting Jules. No, Nick Stokes knew that he and Jules were literally meant to be together. Their souls, their spirits, their hearts seared together that day and they hadn't ever been separated since. And their baby. The baby that had a precious, feminine version of his face and who had Jules' hair and personality. He loved his daughter with the same intensity. Jules and Emma were his heart and soul.

Before them, he was a CSI. Period. He lived for his job.

With them, he was a husband and father. He lived for them.

Without them, he was nothing but dead inside.

Nick threw his head back on the cushion and stared at the ceiling. There was no way he could let this happen. He started to pray. He remembered all the prayers he learned as a boy in Catholic school. But, the only prayer he could get out of his mouth was to beg God to help him through this. To please let him have his family back.

The tears rolled down his temples as he prayed. He knew Jules could never get past him making love to another woman. He knew she would replay it over and over in her head. And he knew she would never feel secure in the love he had for her again. She would be forever broken by it.

Nick knew, as he sat on the floor of Greg Sander's Town House, that the only lifeline he had left was to beg God for help.

Nick knew…he truly needed a miracle.


	29. Innocence & Hypocracy

**Chapter 29**

* * *

The giggling could be heard all throughout the house. It was a precious sound that Warrick never could get enough of. He loved playing hide and seek in the house with Emma. She made him laugh every time because no matter how many times he found her hiding behind the living room chair, she would hide back there again and again. She would also give away her hiding space with her uncontrollable laugh. She laughed like her mother. _Well, she laughed like her mother **used to** laugh_, Warrick said to himself sadly.

"I is hiding on you!" Warrick heard his niece scream out laughing.

"Where is Emma? Under the couch? Nooo. Under the table? Noooo," he pretended to look all around.

The little laugh bellowed throughout the house from behind the chair.

"I think I hear someone laughing!" Warrick started laughing himself.

"BOO!" he yelled at her and she screamed with delight.

Warrick scooped her up and brought her into the kitchen on his hip as they laughed together.

"Mommy coming home?" she suddenly asked Warrick as he put her on the counter.

"Yeah, why? What do you mean?" he said.

"She coming home now?" she said a bit panicked.

"Emma! Of course! Why wouldn't she come home, Honey?" he touched her face.

"My daddy he not home now," she looked at her uncle, "mommy cries, you know dat?" she tilted her head and squinted her eyes.

Warrick felt like he was kicked in the stoATMh.

"I sleep in Mommy and Daddy's bed!" she said suddenly happy at the thought. Emma still wasn't understanding what was happening with her parents and Warrick was glad.

"Oh yeah?" Warrick said still stung by her words.

"Uh huh, I sleep there. Mommy cry sometimes when I'm sleeping," she whispered. "I isn't sleeping sometimes. Don't tell mommy, kay Uncle Wick? Cuz only babies cry, right?"

"No, no, Tiny, big people cry too. They cry when their sad AND when their happy," he smiled, "Mommy must be happy to be snuggling with youuuuuu!" he picked her up and swung her around making her laugh.

Inside, Warrick wanted to cry himself.

* * *

Jules carried in two big bags of groceries.

"Can you grab the rest or no?" she asked.

"Yeah," Warrick answered.

He walked back into the kitchen with the last of the grocery bags and rested his elbow on the counter.

"How are you holding up?" he asked.

"Fine, better than fine, surprisingly well actually….why?" she said not looking at him.

Warrick was surprised she wasn't telling him the truth. She always told him everything.

"Nick been calling you?" he asked, "I hope you haven't talked to him." he said and grumbled about him being a piece of shit.

"No! I have nothing to say to him," she frowned.

She was lying.

"Did you go swimming with Emma?" she asked trying to change the subject.

"Uh huh," he said looking at her sideways, "they call this a bathing suit for a reason, Girl."

"Oh, right, um," she realized her error.

"Baby Girl, I love you, you know that, but I am begging you…don't be a fool with this. You know better. He cheated on you. He is **still **calling her. Don't be blind, Baby Girl, don't be blind. Promise me you won't be fooled and let yourself get sucked back in," he said as he grabbed her hand.

Jules stared at him.

"Walk away before you dig yourself into deeper heartache. You have your friends, you have me forever…I will help you through this," he pleaded with his sister.

"I know. I know. I am strong, don't worry," she let go of his hand and walked to the counter. "Oh, guess what, there was a DB found by the bank!" she told him trying desperately to change the subject.

"How do you know?" he asked.

"I stopped at the ATM on the way to the store and the alley was blocked off," she said putting a gallon of milk away.

"Huh, well they must have enough CSI's since no one called me in; that's cool," he rationalized and looked over to see Emma hop on one foot over to him. He smiled and leaned over to her, "That's more time I can spend with YOU, Tiny Girl!" he tickled Emma on her side.

"Mo time with me, right?" she nodded happily.

"Are you going in tonight?" she asked him as he was heading toward the back door.

"Yep."

Warrick took his niece by the hand and told her he would push her on the swings.

"You stand by me and push the whole time, right?" she asked, "Same way you push Mommy when she little too, right?" she asked wide eyed.

"Right, same way, Tiny, same way," he smiled down at her before looking back at his sister. "Ill always stand behind you…the way I stand behind your mommy, too."

Jules stared at him before looking away.

* * *

As Jules put the last of the groceries away she began thinking about her day; about what happened just an hour earlier. She hadn't told Warrick the truth. She had spoken to Nick. She had actually seen him. But…it didn't go well.

Her mind went back to how she was pushing her PIN number in the ATM when she looked over and saw the crime scene tape. It made her think about Nick. As she collected her money she tried hard to push her thoughts of him away, she looked over again and jumped when she saw him. He was kneeling down and photographing something. He looked so handsome…she never could resist him in uniform.

Jules stepped away from the ATM and leaned against the brick wall of the bank. She silently watched him and felt a love in her heart that just wouldn't leave. She wanted it to, but it was still there. She wasn't sure how long she watched him before he looked up and spotted her. She tried to scurry away quickly but she was frozen to the sidewalk. She watched him stare at her and their eyes wouldn't unlock. They stared at each other for what seemed like a long time. She watched Nick let the camera hang around his neck and get up from his squatting position. He was heading toward her.

She backed up a few steps and bumped into the man behind her at the ATM.

"I'm sorry, Sir" she said half looking at him.

"No problem, Honey," he smiled, "Did you just call me , Sir?" he laughed.

Jules looked over at him. "Did I?"

"I do believe you did," he laughed again.

"Hey, it must be fate that you're here right now," he smiled a gorgeous smile. "I saw you earlier in front of that shoe store window. Um, any chance I could…I don't know, uh, buy you lunch? I just got money out of the bank, what do you say? My treat?" he smiled.

He was handsome and looked to be only a few years older than her, which was funny since she did call him "Sir".

"Oh, no, no…I, um," she furrowed her brow confused.

Was she getting hit on? Was she getting hit on in front of Nick who was heading her way? Jules sucked in a huge breath and let it out slowly.

"My name's Jason," he held out his hand.

Jules shook it and looked over to see if Nick was watching.

He was, and he frowned as he walked closer.

"Um, Jules…my name…it's Jules," she said looking over her shoulder.

The man saw the CSI coming toward her and asked if she was okay.

"Oh, yes, yes, I'm fine, thank you," she stammered.

Nick walked up to the two of them.

Nick looked over at the man who was still holding his wife's hand. His mind raced. He couldn't believe it. His wife was at the bank with another man. Had he not been at a crime scene there he would never have known that she was meeting someone. He was blown away as he watched her hold his hand. He felt pure anger creep up his neck.

Jules stared at him. Frozen. She forgot to take her hand back from the man.

"Is there a problem?" Jason asked looking over at Nick.

Nick glared at him.

"That depends on whether you let go of her hand or not," Nick said with his jaw tight.

"What?" the man laughed in Nick's face.

Jules stood still. She was frozen with her hand still in Jason's hand. The man held it tighter now just out of spite.

"Look, I don't know what your problem is…uh… Stokes," he said looking at his name sewn across his jacket. "But we have nothing to do with that crime over there…we're just going for lunch so if you don't mind!" he pulled Jules by the hand closer to him.

Nick's mouth almost fell open. He was right, she was there with this guy and she was going to lunch with him. How could she? He wondered where she met him. He was a good looking guy which made Nick angrier.

Jason was being quite brazen and Jules was taken by surprise. In fact, she was a bit startled. This man was being way too presumptuous; she never even said yes to his lunch invitation. She was about to pull her hand away when she heard Nick's sharp tone.

"Excuse me?" Nick said shocked and frowned at the man before looking over at Jules asking her with his eyes what the fuck she was doing.

"No, no, we're not, I," Jules said panicking.

She was afraid Nick would snap. She knew he was already under an extreme amount of pressure and it wouldn't take much to set her normally calm man off.

Jason looked over at Jules. "Oh come on, Sweetheart, I would love to take you to lunch. Really, I won't bite…much," he laughed at his own joke and continued to hold her hand tightly. She tried to pull her hand away but he gripped it.

Nick turned and looked at him furiously. "_Was this man calling his wife 'Sweetheart'_?" the rage brewed.

"**Let go **of her hand and back the fuck off," he growled.

"Whoa, hey buddy, **you **back the fuck off," this man said loudly with sudden determination. "I'm taking this lovely lady to lunch…and it doesn't concern **you**!" he said in Nick's face.

"No, your not actually, you are gonna turn around and keep walking," Nick told him.

"Yeah, I don't think so tough guy," the man said stepping closer to Nick.

"Back up," Nick said calmly.

The man laughed. This was now becoming a matter of principal and spite.

"Back up and get the fuck out of my face!" Nick said pushing his chest into the man's.

"**NICK**!" Jules yelled out nervously.

"You know him?" the guy spun his head to look at her.

"Yes! He's…he's…" she tried to explain.

"An **asshole**?" the guy said and looked back at Nick.

Nick looks at Jules and then back at the guy.

"**I'm her husband, scumbag**," he said grabbing Jason by the shirt, lifting him slightly and pushing him out of his personal space.

The man reached over and pushed Nick hard away from him.

Jules closed her eyes as a scuffle began. She felt like her feet had just been glued to the cement again.

The man cocked his arm back as if to throw a punch but spotted Nick's gun positioned quietly on his hip. The man thought twice about whether he wanted trouble with this man that he was beginning to think was a police officer. He put his fist down. Nick had his fist clenched and ready.

"Oh, oh," the man looked at Jules and frowned. "He's your husband?"

Jules nodded still not speaking.

Jason looked her up and down. He liked the way she looked in her jean shorts, tank top and flip flops. He loved the way her toes were polished. He was pissed he wouldn't have a chance with her after all. And, he was not used to getting rejected.

"You never mentioned you were married…perhaps you should wear your wedding ring!"

Nick couldn't believe what he was hearing. Jules wasn't wearing her wedding ring and she never told this guy she was married? He was sickened.

Jason shook his head disgusted.

"Fuckin' tease," he grumbled, frowned and walked away.

"_**HEY**_!" Nick said getting in Jason's face again.

"**NICK**! Stop. Let it go," she said as she watched his face.

She knew he did not like that guy talking to her that way. She knew Nick would confront him so she stopped him before he could even think about taking it further.

"**Fuck this shit**. I don't even know her, man, and it looks like I don't want to! I don't need this drama!" he scoffed, turned, and walked away. "**ASSHOLE**" he yelled when he was far enough away from the gun carrying CSI.

Nick glared at him before turning toward Jules with fury in his eyes.

"On the prowl already?" he said with a hurt, harsh, tone.

She just stared.

"You waste no time, huh," he frowned angrily.

She still stared at him saying nothing.

"Where'd you meet him?" his nose flared as he asked.

Jules didn't know what to say; she was realizing Nick thought she was standing by that brick wall waiting for her "date".

"It's not what you think, Nick," she said quickly to diffuse his anger, "I was just here because…"

Nick squinted unsure if he believed she wasn't waiting for her date when he spotted her.

"You weren't waiting for him to get money out of the ATM ATMhine, Jules? I fucking saw you!"

"No, I was not," she insisted.

"You just happened to be standing with him, waiting with him at the fucking bank? And just happened to be going to fucking lunch **together**?"

"It is not what it looks like, Nick, now stop it and don't you dare curse at me!" she frowned.

"Then who was that guy?"

"I didn't have a chance to find out," she said coldly.

"Oh? Did you **want **a chance to find out?" he asked calmly.

"Maybe," she responded.

Nick looked down at his feet.

"You don't mean that," he said looking up half way, "do you?"

"Just walk away, Nicky, walk away and leave it alone," she said as she started to walk away herself.

"**Wait**!" he said firmly.

"Nick, please, I don't want to do this here, I…" she sighed.

"Did you do that on purpose, Jules?" he asked pissed off.

"Do what? I didn't do anything!" she defended.

"Did you want to make me fucking jealous? Mission accomplished if you did!" he yelled.

Nick was furious.

"No. No, I…" she began but he cut her off.

"That is fucked up, Jules. You flirting in front of my face? Going to fucking lunch with a guy already?" he said nastily.

"Whoa, wait…ya know what Nick, I don't like your nasty tone and I can tell you this…**you fucked someone else **so I really don't think you're in a position to ask ME questions!" she spat back.

She couldn't believe it. Here they were, the most "in love" couple that ever graced the earth, fighting like teenagers on the streets of Las Vegas. She was sick over the whole situation. She was mad to be fighting over a guy she really didn't even know and had just bumped into innocently. She was even angrier that he would get jealous over something so innocent but expected her to forgive his infidelity. How incredibly hypocritical, she thought.

Nick stepped closer to her and pointed. "No, no, you saw me there and you purposely held his hand!" he yelled.

Jules lowered her tone and whispered to him to please knock it off.

"_**No, I won't knock it off! I am ready to beat a guy down because you want to hurt ME!" **_he yelled louder.

"Nick?" she said calmly.

"WHAT?" he said exasperated.

She leaned closer to his ear and he tilted in to listen to what she was going to whisper.

"Fuck you. No, really, ffffuuuck you!" she whispered.

Nick stared at her surprised that she would be so calm and easily tell him to fuck off. He wasn't used to this cold side of her. He began to wonder if maybe he was way off base with what just went down. He might not be thinking clearly and he knew it.

"Babe, look…I'm sorry, I…" he began.

"Didn't you hear me?" she asked softly, "Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck you!"

She turned and walked away.

"Wait," he yelled after her, "I'm sorry!"

"Leave it alone, Nicky," she said. "**Leave ME alone too**."

Jules stormed off across the street and left Nick standing there…**alone**.


	30. Spilling Secrets

**Chapter 30: Spilling Secrets**

* * *

He rolled down his window and felt the breeze brush against his face. He pressed the phone to his ear harder as he turned off the radio. Nick waited for the beep, something he has been hearing for days on end.

"Jules, please, please at least talk to me," Nick begged, "I won't stop calling you; I won't give up on us…I love you, babe, and nothing will change that. I miss you. I miss our daughter," his voice tightened.

"Hi," a tiny voice came over the phone.

Nick jerked his head back a bit in shock.

"Hi," she said again.

Nick knew that voice all too well. It happened to be the sweetest voice and he loved to hear it.

"Hi, Sweet Pea, it's Daddy," he told his daughter. "Why are you answering the phone, Sweets?" he asked happily.

"I is on yaw bed sleepin'" she explained, "and I hearded you talk!"

"Aww, you were sleeping in my bed and heard Daddy talking?" he smiled and repeated the sentence properly.

Nick knew his daughter was nodding her head yes but had forgotten to say it.

"Whatcha doin' in my bed, Honey?" he asked looking at his watch.

"I sleepin' here all the time…I sleep here now!" she said excitedly, "when you gonna come sleep here too?"

"I can't right now, Princess," he choked up, "Where's Mommy?"

"I don't know cus I sleepin" she told him.

"Ohhh, I see, I see. You like sleeping in the big bed with Mommy? You keeping her company while Daddy is away?" he smiled making conversation with his baby girl.

"Yes, but Daddy?" she whispered into the phone.

""What, Honey?" Nick asked listening closely to his little girl.

"Mommy squish me too tight, she do dat to me," she confided to her dad.

"Oh, yeah? That's cause she loves you, Munchkin!" he laughed.

"Then why mommy cry when she squeeze me? I hearded her sometimes," she whispered.

"What?" Nick said shocked at his daughter's secret.

Emma suddenly stopped speaking; her mother came into the room.

"Hey, Munchkin! You're awake," Jules said smiling and then gasped. "**EMMA**! Who are you talking to!" Jules said startled.

"Daddy!" she grinned, "He talkin to me, Daddy is!"

Jules rubbed her hand down her face and took in a huge breath of air before letting it out.

"Oh, um," Jules stuttered not knowing what to say.

"Honey, let Daddy talk to Mommy, okay?" Nick asked.

"Daddy want to talk to you," she told her mom.

Suddenly they heard the front door open and they could hear Warrick bellow out up the stairs.

"**HELLLOOOO?" **Warrick yelled up the stairs loudly.

Jules knew Warrick was coming over a lot lately to be a male figure to Emma. He loved that little girl and it broke his heart to know her daddy was out of the picture now. That was Warrick, Jules thought, always rescuing a little girl. First it was her...now it's her daughter. She didn't k now if that full circle was incredibly sad or incredibly sweet.

Jules swallowed hard, walked over and took the phone from Emma's little hand and the little girl tore off down the stairs.

"**Here I is!" **she yelled to her uncle.

Jules still had the phone in her hand for a minute before speaking. She bit her bottom lip as she does so often.

"Jules? Babe, you there?" Nick called into the phone.

"Nick," Jules said calmly, "Emma just ran downstairs. I can have her call you later."

"Babe? Please…I am begging you…please talk to me," he pleaded.

Jules sat on the edge of the bed to brace herself. Hearing his voice made her knees weak.

"Listen, just don't do this, Nick, okay?" she tried to sound normal.

"Just meet me for coffee?" he pleaded.

"You ask me this a dozen times a day and what do I always tell you?" she replied.

""Nothing actually, you won't pick up the phone!" he said in a hurt tone.

"Well, what does **that **tell you?" she said harshly. "You're a smart man, I know you can figure that out," she said in a monotone voice.

"How can you act so calm and okay with this? I'm dying inside, Babe, absolutely torn apart," he whispered trying to get the words out, "I know you gotta be feeling this too!" he said running his fingers through his hair with despair.

"Um, not too much anymore, Nick," she said flatly.

He knew she built her wall. She was wearing her armor now.

But, thanks to Emma's little secret, at least **now **he knew she still cried. And as sad as that was to hear, he at least had hope that she didn't shut off her feelings completely blocking her heart from him. He had been praying Brooke's phone call didn't shut Jules down completely, to the point where he couldn't reach her.

"Coffee, Honey, just coffee, okay? Please?" he begged her.

"Nick?" she said softly.

"Yes?" he said hopeful.

"_**Go call Brooke**_," and she hung up.

Nick clicked his phone shut and rested his head on the headrest of his Denali. He knew Jules, and when she shut down she was tough as nails. It was from her childhood. He knew all about it. He knew she had a survival mode and he knew it had already kicked in. He was genuinely scared she would force herself to hate him.

* * *

He was just leaving a crime scene after working a double shift. He didn't know how the hell he was able to focus but he had a job to do and he did it. He was just damn glad he and Warrick hadn't had the same hours lately. Nick would gladly work a double if it meant he could avoid Warrick. Never mind the fact that it meant he didn't get much sleep, which was fine with him since he hated to dream. He always dreamed about being with her and with his family, but everytime he woke up he had to face the pain of knowing that it was the farthest thing from the truth.

He began to wonder if Grissom had a hand in making his shifts so different from Warrick's, or if he had just gotten lucky the past couple of weeks. He knew once this shift was over now he didn't have to go in tonight and it would be yet another shift they didn't have to work together. He was so glad about that. But, as much as he was not in the mood to deal with Warrick, he was happy that Warrick was there with Jules and Emma. He felt like they at least had someone there with them for support. Even if they didn't know they needed it.

* * *

"You want me to get you anything?" Jules asked her brother when she walked into the kitchen.

"Yeah, coffee…so get brewin'!" he laughed.

"Who you talking to, Big Brother? I'm not Trista!" she laughed back.

"Well, I'd do it myself if you got a normal coffee maker! This thing needs a little plastic thing of coffee...I don't even know where to stick it!"

"Gotta be gettin' with the times, my brothah!" she laughed using her ghetto talk, "and it's so easy, even a monkey can do it, jackass," she laughed a little more.

As she made his coffee she continued to hide her sadness behind her smile. She pretended to be happy. She laughed. She smiled. She made jokes. She didn't want her brother to think she was weak. But the truth was she was weakening every day. She had just lost the best part of her; the other half of her heart was completely missing.

Warrick looked over at Jules and watched her face. He was trying to read her.

"How you doing, Baby Girl?" he asked his sister as they drank their coffee at the kitchen table.

"Amazingly well, I am happy to say," she raised her eyebrows and took a sip of coffee.

"Wow, really?" he said surprised.

"Yep, you know me, I don't break that easily. After all, I'm a 'Brown'," she chuckled.

Warrick nodded. "That you are, Baby Girl, and I'm really proud of you, ya know that?"

"Yep," she said and stood up. She wasn't sure how much longer she could hold up this front for her brother. "I'm gonna go up and take a shower, okay?"

"Uh huh," he said staring down at the Sports page.

Warrick couldn't stop thinking about what his niece told him the other day. He couldn't stop hearing her little voice telling him that her mommy holds her tight and cries at night. It made him sick. It made him want to do some serious bodily harm to his brother-in-law. He wasn't sure how to handle this and it upset him that Jules obviously thought she had to be strong in front of him. She didn't have to pretend. She could lean on him and she always knew that.

Warrick sat and wondered why she was so secretive of her pain. He wondered if it was because she was afraid that if he knew how bad she was hurting that it would make him crazy and make him seek revenge on Nick. She wasn't far off base with that notion, but he still wanted her to be able to tell him the truth.

Warrick felt helpless. He didn't know what to do to carry her through these dark days. He knew one thing for sure though, he would not allow Nick to weasel his way back into Jules' heart.

Nick already had her heart and he broke it into pieces... and Warrick would be damned if he let him have a second chance with it.


	31. So Tired

_**Chapter 31: So Tired**_

* * *

She went around checking the locks and closing the blinds and curtains. She looked over at Emma who was sitting on the floor with her woobie to her nose and her thumb in her mouth. She could see her daughter was over tired and Jules was shocked that she wasn't sleeping. It was way past her bedtime and still she wasn't asleep.

"Come on, Emmy, you need to go to sleep, it's late!" she explained when Emma refused to go to bed.

"NO! No, no , no! I NOT!" she frowned and stared at her mother angrily.

"Honey, you're tired, let's go, right now!" Jules told her sternly.

"Not without my daddy!" she argued, "he needs to sleep in dat bed wif me," she frowned and stood up.

Jules gulped. She hadn't expected those words from her baby.

"Em, listen…"

"NO! I want Daddy to take me! He lays down with me, he does dat…I want him to now!" she demanded.

"Don't be fresh, Emma, talk nicely to Mommy…Mommy understands. I'm listening," Jules tried to calm her when she saw the tears brimming in Emma's eyes.

"I want Daddy! I want Daddy to lay down wit me! I not sleepin! I not gonna!" she said with the tears tipping over the brims of her eyes and rolling down her cheeks.

"Em, please, please don't do this," Jules felt her own tears…the ones she had been trying to hide from her daughter for weeks and weeks now.

Down to the floor Emma went. She was kicking her feet and throwing a tantrum. Jules knew her daughter was tired but she also knew it was her frustration of not understanding why her daddy wasn't home anymore.

Jules looked over at the clock on the wall. It was half past nine. She normally would never give in to her little girl's tantrums but this was different. This was something that Emma really deserved to do. She earned it. She had been so good about all of this confusion.

Jules bit her bottom lip nervously and walked over to the phone that was tossed haphazardly on the couch. Nick hated when she did that because he said he could never find the phone when it sunk into the cushions. But, she had been talking to his sister Lynn and she just had no energy to put it back in the charger after their emotional conversation.

Jules hit the speed dial to Nick's cell phone and held her breath as it rang twice before he picked it up.

Nick's heart jumped when he saw his home number glow on his phone.

"Jules?" he answered using her name instead of his last name as he usually does.

"Hey, Nick, um," she began calmly.

Nick could hear his daughter screaming and carrying on in the background.

"Whoa, what's up with Em?" he asked, "she having a meltdown?"

"Oh yeah…" she groaned, "she is Out. Of. Control right now," she stressed the "out of control" statement.

"Why? Oh wow, it's late for her to be up," he said looking at his watch knowing she was overtired.

'Nick, she is crying for…" she swallowed back the tightness in her throat before beginning again,"…she is crying for you."

He blew the air from his lung, and rubbed his forehead, squeezing his eyes shut from the hurt.

"Can I come over?" he asked.

"Would you? I think you need to," she admitted.

"I will be right there. Tell her I will be right there," he said adamantly.

And he was. He tore out of the parking lot of the pizzeria he was just about to go into before the phone rang. He planned on grabbing a pizza but suddenly he wasn't hungry anymore even though he hadn't eaten all day.

* * *

Jules was holding Emma on her hip in front of the window when Nick pulled into their driveway. He could see their images looking out. He was a little disheveled in his navy blue Texas A&M sweatpants and the Cowboys t-shirt Jules had bought him while they were in Texas. He had been sleeping earlier and never bothered to change. He wasn't going anywhere anyway. He didn't do much of anything on his days off anymore. He just didn't have any motivation to do anything.

Jules opened the door immediately when she saw him walking up the walkway.

"See, Mommy told you Daddy was coming! See here he is!" she pointed.

Emma smiled but her breath still shook from crying so hard.

"Aww, there's my pretty girl, what's the matter, honey?" he said as she leaned over out of her mother's arms and into Nick's.

He hugged her and she put her head on his shoulder and her thumb in her mouth.

"She is soooo tired," Nick mouthed to Jules; Jules nodded and mouthed back, "I know!"

"Daddy's here, Sweet Pea, Daddy's here…no more crying, okay?" he whispered and rubbed her back.

Emma nodded, sucking in the shaking breath caused from her sobs. She took her thumb out of her mouth and without picking her head up off her father's shoulder she asked him to lie down with her.

"You sleep next to me in the big bed?" she mumbled tiredly.

Nick looked at Jules and she nodded to him. He stroked Emma's head and told her he would.

Emma's eyes began to droop just from the peacefulness of being in her father's arms. Nick choked back the lump in his throat.

He carried his baby up the stairs and placed her under the covers. He crawled in next to her and held her in his arms. He was so glad he was with her, he thought quietly as he hugged her tightly.

Jules leaned against the door frame and felt tears roll down her face. She was glad Nick couldn't see them and she wiped them away quickly. She loved seeing them together. It seemed like all was right with the world again seeing him in their bed. Seeing him in their bed, with their daughter, made her weaken. Just the sight of them made her feel the love for him that she has desperately been trying to push down. It flooded up again and this time she couldn't contain it.

Jules wasn't sure what made her do it, but she found herself walking to the other side of the bed and crawl in too. She draped her arm over Emma and it rested near Nick's arm. She didn't mean to touch him but she felt his arm against the side of her hand and forearm.

They stared at each other without lifting their heads from the pillows.

Jules didn't even realize she fell asleep until she woke up startled. She felt Nick slink out of bed and she sat up to see him walking toward the hall. _"He's leaving,"_ she thought and it made her sick.

Once again, without thinking, she jumped out of the bed and scurried toward him. She didn't want to yell over to him because she was sure she would wake Emma. Nick was startled when she grabbed his arm.

"You're leaving?" she said trying to hide her panic.

"No, I was going to go sneak something to eat," he squished his face hoping she wouldn't be mad.

"I'll come with you," she said feeling very clingy. Nick was glad and he gave a faint smile.

Together they walked down the flight of stairs and into the kitchen.

Nick went to the refrigerator and was leaning in and looking at the selection when Jules came up behind him. She rubbed his back and he turned around to find her directly behind him with tears in her eyes.

He stared at her and she stared back. They stood there with the door open; standing in the light of the refrigerator.

"It hurts so bad, Nicky," she said as her lip quivered.

Nick reached out and pulled her into his chest. She let her head press into him.

She spoke to him with her face on his chest…she didn't look up.

"I didn't know that man. I accidentally bumped into him trying to run from you," she whispered.

"I didn't know," he admitted.

"I wouldn't lie to you about something like that," she told him.

He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her tighter, pushing her head into his chest deeper.

"I miss you every second of every day…literally. I am so serious. Every second," he confessed.

"Me too, I hate to admit it but it's true," she whispered and looked up at him with her chin on his chest.

Nick leaned in. He didn't ask. He didn't realize he would do it, but he leaned down and kissed her softly.

Jules felt herself melt into his kiss. She felt her body go weak. She kissed him back with the same tenderness.

Nick brought his hands up to her face and held it with both hands as he kissed her. She kept her arms wrapped completely around his chest.

Neither one of them was sure how long they kissed in front of the open refrigerator door but finally Nick moved forward and closed it with his shoulder without breaking away from her kiss. Jules felt the cold on his back and knew he didn't care.

He moved her backwards all the way into the Family Room and to the couch. They fell onto it's cushions together. There were no words spoken but Jules could feel his hard-on pressing against her. She knew how much he wanted her…she wanted him equally as bad.

Jules made the first move again, she slid her hands to the sides of his sweatpants and slid them down. He pushed up her silk, slip nightgown and pulled her panties down. Nick knew she wouldn't be wearing a thong…she never did to bed.

Nick moved his lips down her face and onto her neck. Jules moved her head into his neck and sucked it gently. She could smell the scent of soap on his skin.

Nick was so turned on by her sucking his neck that he couldn't contain himself. He wanted to ask her if she was okay with this but the sucking on his neck and her fingers caressing his back gave him a pretty good indication that she was on board. He was especially surprised when he felt her reach down, grab his hard dick and guide it inside her.

The feeling of being inside her made his body go numb. It was beyond words. She gasped as he entered her and he felt how wet she was and yet so tight. He moved in and out of her with desire, passion and an immense love in his heart for her. She moved her hands up under his shirt and dragged her fingers all over his back.

Nick had one arm under the small of her back and the other hand on the side of her head with his fingers in her long, blond hair as he moved with seductive motion. Jules moaned with each gentle thrust he gave her. Nick couldn't take the sound of her moan in his ear and he could feel himself wanting to cum already. He tried to hold on and hold back but it was too late he groaned loudly and came so hard he felt his buddy go crumble on top of her. They lay there a few minutes before Nick lifted his head and looked down at her. He was afraid to look; afraid to see if she was crying again. She wasn't. She leaned up and kissed him tenderly. They kissed for quite a while before he slowly moved over her again and inserted his quickly hardened cock inside her yet again. She didn't even realize he was hard again so it took her by surprise. It was a nice surprise. She groaned loudly.

Jules gripped his back and this time reached the bottom of his T-shirt and pulled it up over his head, giving her better access to his skin. As they kissed Jules leaned upward to a sitting position and pushed Nick up with her. She straddled him and he lifted her nightgown up over her head too. His mouth went directly for her breasts while she took his cock and placed it inside her yet again. She wrapped both her arms completely around his head and buried her face into his shoulder as she slid down onto him. She sucked her way up to his neck and purposely moaned in his ear and she rocked on him back and forth.

Nick was crazy in love with her and their passion was so strong it could be felt in the air. He heard the words from her lips that he had needed, wanted, prayed for and it made him want to cry.

"I love you so much, Nicky, so much that it is unstoppable. There is no way to shut it off…it's forever," she whispered directly into his ear, her lips grazing his earlobe. "I'm tired, Nick. I'm tired of hiding it...I'm tired of fighting it...I am just so tired of denying it."

Nick grabbed her hips and rocked her harder and faster. He wanted to feel himself inside her, as deep as he could, to be consumed by her. Jules threw her head back from the pleasure he was giving her and he reached one hand up, wrapped it into her hair before dragging it over to her mouth. She kissed his thumb and he stuck it into her mouth, wetting it thoroughly. He brought the soaked thumb down and rubbed it over her nipple as he leaned in and began to suck her neck. It was intense for Jules. Besides the heated desire she had for him it was the love in her whole body that made her shutter with emotion.

Jules felt herself quiver and move faster. The faster she moved, the harder he sucked. She pushed his head harder into her neck. She loved the feeling of his sucking it and she wanted it harder. The more he sucked the more pleasure shot throughout her body. She felt the wave of an explosive orgasm consume her and her walls clamp down hard on his cock, pulsating it tightly. He felt her coming and that made him even hotter, and he felt himself work himself up to the point where he couldn't hold back either. Nick sucked her neck hard as he came again inside her.

The two of them moaned and groaned loudly. So loud they were afraid they would wake Emma but logically they knew she was upstairs and sound asleep. They had been loud in the past and she never woke up and that was when she was only down the hall. No, they were safe to be as loud as they wanted and grabbing onto one another for dear life…they continued to call out each other's names with irresistible passion.

The two were intertwined on the couch in their Den completely weakened and sweaty. They rested their foreheads together and breathed each others air. Nick caressing her back up and down before sliding his hands up, holding the side of her face and kissing her gently.

"This feels too right to be wrong, Cowboy," she whispered to him.

Hearing her call him "Cowboy" again made tears brim his eyes.

She looked into his eyes and told him the truth.

"I still love you, Cowboy, I swear I always will," she confessed.

"That's all I needed to hear, Sunshine..." he whispered as his voice cracked.

Nick grabbed her by the waist and lifted her off of him, placing her back onto the couch. He covered her with his naked body yet again.

She smirked at him. It was the first time she smiled at him in a long, long time.

"You're hard again, aren't you," she raised her eyebrow.

Nick didn't answer...he slid his hard cock inside her and they made love again with a tenderness that was bittersweet. Nick wasn't sure if this would last. He knew they had a lot of work ahead of them, but he also knew it was what they needed at that moment...and they could work through anything as long as she stood beside him.


	32. Into the Moonlight

I don't own CSI. Rated T

Well, glad I shocked most of you with the Nick and Jules intimate moment.

Here is the continuation of the night...

We can't have a "happily ever after" this early...it would make no sense...

AND my story would be over; you wouldn't want that now, would ya?

***Please review***

* * *

The moonlight tried to creep through the blinds and highlight their naked bodies as Jules drifted off to sleep in Nick's arms. She hadn't slept this well in a long, long, time. She spent most nights crying herself to sleep and begging God to make the pain go away. She spend most nights waking up in the middle of the night and walking around aimlessly in the dark unable to sleep. But tonight, she slept like a baby. She didn't wake up in a cold sweat, she didn't cry herself to sleep…instead she drifted off to sleep feeling safe and loved again.

Nick didn't fall asleep. He was afraid to. He didn't want to wake up and find her gone. He didn't want to stop looking at her. He watched her sleep and traced her features with his eyes. He loved her so much it hurt inside. He couldn't imagine life without this woman. He would never be whole without her. A piece of himself would forever be missing. Nick wasn't sure how long this moment would last so he refused to let himself sleep. He didn't know if she would wake up and change her mind and say she was sorry. "_Oh God, please don't let her say she is sorry_," he thought silently. He couldn't bear it if she said she was sorry.

He wasn't expecting everything to go back to the way things were; he knew she would never let him back into the house right now. He knew her. And he knew she needed him tonight. She didn't want to forget what it felt like to be loved by him. She needed him to keep breathing… and he felt the same way.

Nick slipped off her gently. He didn't want to wake her yet but he knew if he fell asleep they could very well be laying naked on the couch in the morning and possibly having their daughter finding them in that position. Nick shuddered at that image. He grabbed his clothes off the floor and put them on.

Nick walked back over to the couch and sat on the edge of it staring down at her beautiful face. She had the face of an angel. He leaned over and kissed her on her soft lips gently; just light enough to not wake her. He rubbed his nose on hers softly and kissed her forehead lightly before sitting back up.

Nick looked at his watch and saw it was just after 1:00 in the morning. He wondered if he should stay the night or if that would give Emma mixed messages. He chewed the inside of his cheek and stared straight ahead as he thought about what to do. He suddenly felt her gentle hand rub his back. He looked over at her surprised.

"What are you thinking about, Texas?" she whispered.

Nick's heart leaped when he heard her call him by the other nickname she used to call him.

"I was thinking," he said and leaned in and kissed her lips before continuing, "I was thinking if I should leave now, before I fall asleep and wake up here and confuse Emma completely."

"Yeah, I think you are right," she nodded and kept her palm on his back still rubbing it gently, " you should probably go."

"Are you sorry?" he whispered and looked down, afraid of her answer, "are you sorry we…"

"No," she said reaching over and touching his face.

Nick sighed a huge sigh of relief.

"I can't have you back though, not now…not yet…We have a lot to figure out and I couldn't take another heartache," she informed him.

Nick nodded.

"**AND **you're afraid to tell your brother, aren't you?" he squinted his eyes and tilted his head slightly at her.

Jules bit her bottom lip.

"Um, and Trista…and Nat…," she said before pausing, "Not Brett…he'd find it incredibly romantic," she smiled wide trying to lighten the mood.

Nick didn't smile back. He was worried. Worried everything would go back to heartache now.

"You won't let what they think influence you, will you?" he asked worriedly. "You won't let Warrick stand in the way?"

"No one tells me what to think or feel, Nicky, you should know that about me by now," she said, "We've jumped through hoops before…what's another horse and pony show?"

The two of them laughed quietly.

"But…" she paused and turned his face so she could look him deep in the eyes.

Nick cut her off before she could speak because he knew her doubts were creeping in. He knew they would and he couldn't blame her, but he just wished she could believe him.

"I promise you, if you let me back in, Honey…," he begged quietly.

Nick stares at her. Jules stares at him.

"Listen…listen to me, Nick,…" she began and scooted up a bit on the couch.

Nick listened closely.

"If…" she paused, "…if you can **promise me **you did not sleep with her - that you didn't have this whole attraction thing, got drunk, and went wild…. **IF **you can promise me that, Nicky, **I promise you I will believe you and I won't care what **_**anyone **_**says. If YOU can promise me that… I will stand by you**."

Nick knew that if he promised her it would make everything better. He knew she would stand by him and believe him if she heard him promise. Jules would trust him and never doubt him if he promised her.

But he couldn't promise her what he didn't know for sure…what he didn't know himself. He would have sworn he didn't hook up with Brooke at all if he hadn't seen the pictures that showed otherwise. Nick wanted to lie to her but he couldn't…he would never do that.

Instead, he looked away from her eyes. He couldn't look at her. He put his head down and felt his heart sink to the floor.

He knew once he told her he couldn't promise that this incredible night would be over. He knew she would have no choice but to regroup and hardener herself once again to be able to go on, even if she didn't want to.

"You can't, can you?" her voice cracked hoping he was able to promise her. She would have trusted his promise simply because it came from HIM.

"I can promise you I don't remember," he whispered while looking down. "I can also promise you there was never an attraction that you are talking about… But, no, I can't promise you that I didn't…"

"Oh God, Nickkkky…" she sighed loudly and looked up at the ceiling, "I won't tell you I am sorry about tonight…I can't tell you I am sorry because I'm not, but… I don't want to give you false hope either, Nick."

The words "false hope" stung him just as bad as the word 'sorry".

He nodded.

"I will **always **love you, Nick," she said, "but that doesn't mean I can believe in you anymore…believe in **us **anymore," she heard the words come from her lips but she knew she couldn't possibly mean them.

She was just too afraid to let him in anymore than she already had.

Nick reached out and touched her face. She leaned against his palm with her cheek and closed her eyes.

"I will not promise you until I am sure. I will be honest with you no matter what," he whispered.

"If you did, Nick…If Brooke is telling the truth…," she couldn't finish her sentence.

Nick sucked in a huge breath and nodded.

"Maybe you should go, Nick." she held his hand to her face, "Let's just hold on to tonight, and let tomorrow take care of itself," she said looking at him, "We'll just keep this between us. It was our night.

Nick couldn't speak so he just nodded and stood up. As he leaned down and picked up her nightgown, he handed it to her, and shook his head.

"I won't give up on us, Babe," he whispered staring at her.

Jules sat up completely, slipped on her nightgown, and stood up in front of him.

"What if we have to, Nicky?," she looked down at their feet.

Nick reaches out and lifts her by the chin to look at him.

"Never happen, Sunshine," he shook his head.

Jules closed her eyes a minute, took a deep breath and a couple steps back from him.

"Nick, sometimes, in real life…love doesn't conquer all. Just because I love you, doesn't mean I can give you my heart again," she gave him sorrowful look.

The two of them said nothing but their eyes spoke volumes to each other.

Finally Nick whispered softly, "I should go…I know…I should go," he looked down.

"Yeah, I think it's best," she stepped closer to him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

He looked at her and she surprised herself one last time for the night.

Jules leaned up and kissed him.

At first it was a tender kiss, but it quickly became heated.

Nick wanted to rip her clothes off again but he couldn't keep doing this "back and forth" between them. It was hurting him too…and he felt tremendous hurt that she may possibly be giving up on them. This time, Nick stepped away.

"I can't do this…not to you…not to me," he said holding her at arms length.

Jules nodded. She wasn't being fair.

"Jules…I know, **I did this**. I put us in this position and I know I have no right to expect anything…but this is killing me…" he looked down, "and the saddest part, the saddest part is I deserve it."

All she could do was nod and touch his hand.

Jules wondered how something as perfect as tonight could go back to the heartfelt sadness so quickly.

Silently they walked down the hall and stood in front of the door.

Nick opened the door, stepped out on the porcc and into the moonlight. He wondered if he should turn back for just one more kiss, but he didn't have that chance… the door closed behind him.

Standing on his front stoop, he stared at his front door, placed his hand on it and held it there for a moment before walking back to his truck.

Nick Stokes left his home that night wondering if that the special moment he just had with his wife may very well have been his last.

What Nick didn't know was…Jules was lying.

She was desperately lying in order to protect herself. Because she knew if she let herself, she could forgive him for _**everything and anything…**_and she was afraid to take that chance.

She knew if she told him how she really felt, he could hurt her again in the end - just as Warrick and Trista assured her would happen.

Jules couldn't tell him the truth, he could break her down with just his smile…just like he did tonight. It wasn't his fault…it was hers…she just couldn't resist him.

She wasn't sure she was doing the right thing. She just didn't know what else to do to protect her heart in the long run. Jules leaned her back against the front door and took a deep breath. She felt the tears fill her eyes once again. She wanted to run after him and tell him he had her heart, and always would. She wanted to run to tell him she wants him to stay but is just so terrified.

Instead, she went up to her sleeping daughter.

Crawling into bed with her, she grabbed the pillow Nick had been resting on. She could smell him and she wanted that. She held it close to her; she felt like he was still in her arms. And that alone, made her drift off to sleep.


	33. Remember What She Told You

Rated Tor M depending on what your definition is.

Don't own CSI.

**I had to rewrite my opening statements here because the house I showed you (The Stokes' Residence) is no longer on realtor . com so... **

**I am taking down everything I said about it and the location of it on the site. **

**No sense on keeping it up here if it is gone. Why tease my readers who missed it?  
**

**But to those of you who got to see it...that was fun, right! I thought so. **

**Sorry it still isn't available for all to see. It was perfect.**

**Anyway, hope you will enjoy the story just the same.**

* * *

She had a bad habit of biting her bottom lip when she was in deep thought. And tonight was no exception. She was thinking about Nick. Thinking about what has happened with the two of them the past several weeks. It has been a roller coaster. She remembered when she told Nick she wanted out of their marriage. That had to be the worst…she couldn't bear to see him or talk to him then. All she did was cry for the first two days straight. Thank God Trista took Emma for those days. She couldn't stop crying and she didn't want her daughter to witness those tears. Trista even swallowed her own disdain for Nick and dropped Emma off to see him for his visits. She didn't exactly want to, but she knew Emma needed to see her dad and, rather than have Jules be exposed to him, Trista did it herself. Trista not only saw Jules' pain…she felt it for her too.

She was lucky to have a best friend like Trista. Trista had a fierce loyalty and Jules knew without a doubt that she had her back, and would make sure she kept her focus. The only bad part about that was Jules wasn't so sure she wanted to focus on staying away from Nick. She didn't want to think rationally at all right now. But, each time she weakened at the knees when she thought about Nick, Trista was right there pointing out the obvious…**the pictures, the phone bill, Brooke Latham's phone call admitting they had sex. **Trista wasn't looking to hurt Jules, quite the contrary, she was trying to protect her in the long run.

But what Trista didn't know is that she had been with Nick just a few days ago when Emma cried her heart out for him and he came to see her. She hadn't meant to weaken like she did, but oddly enough she wasn't sorry. She was surprised about that. That night with him wasn't planned, but it wasn't reckless either. It was two people madly in love with each other finally reuniting for one moment in time. It was a tender moment that gave them strength. Jules knew if her friends and her brother found out they would have a fit. After what Nick did, and the tears they saw her cry, they would not understand.

Jules didn't want to upset them.

Trista and Warrick both witnessed the excruciating pain Jules endured. They both heard Brooke's phone call. They both held her as she sobbed and took care of Emma when she had no strength left. They were true to her and they only wanted to help her through this. So Jules kept that night a secret. No one needed to know about their indiscretion. Jules told Nick it wouldn't happen again anyway…so why would she tell anyone? No, it was just between her and Nick. She did not need to get everyone upset about something that just happened once and wouldn't happen again.

Trista walked out from the kitchen and yawned.

"You wanna sleep here or are you heading home?" Jules asked looking up from the chair in the den.

"Uh, nah, I'm gonna head home…or do you need me to stay? I can stay," Trista asked.

"No, no, don't be crazy! I'm fine. Go home and get in your own bed and sleep well," she smiled.

"Yeah, but I don't know if I wanna go to bed or go out!" she laughed, "a nice cozy bed does seem delightful though," she smirked.

"Well Jules, can I get you anything before I leave?" she said throwing her purse over her arm.

"Yeah," Jules smirked, "Can you give me my I-pod? I don't feel like getting up," she whined.

"Yeah sure, sure…want the clicker too, Lazy Ass?" she laughed.

"Nah, don't want to wake the peanut over there. I'll just veg out and listen to some music. Maybe the two of us will just sleep down here tonight," she smiled.

Trista grabbed Jules I-pod off the bookshelf and, before she tossed it to her, she gave her a quizzical face.

"Hey, you aren't gonna listen to a bunch of sappy songs and cry all night are you?" she asked suspiciously.

"**NO**! I don't even have sappy songs on there I'll have you know!" Jules was lying through her teeth and thankfully Trista didn't challenge it.

Trista tossed it to Jules before leaning over the couch and kissing the top of Emma's head.

Looking over at Jules she smiled.

"Don't get up, I'll lock it on the way out," she laughed knowing Jules wasn't getting up now that she had her I-pod and blanket.

"Love yooouuuu!" Jules teased.

"Love you too, Girlfriend," Trista turned to leave but stopped and looked back at her best friend sincerely, "Are you sure you're okay? Really?"

"Really. I'm strong; you know that," she nodded.

* * *

Jules sat silently in the chair watching her daughter sleeping. The sun had long since set and Jules wanted to get up and close the curtains and blinds as she usually does, but she just didn't have it in her to get up. She suddenly realized she had her earphones on but no music was playing. Instead, she had been sitting and staring at Emma for a long time. She had been thinking. She had a lot to think about. Nick truly consumed her thoughts. Their marriage, their daughter, their life…all were issues that were a part of this mess.

She thought about how she made love to him and how right it felt. She thought about the heartache he caused and how she nearly killed him with her rage and a coffee mug. She had a crazy mix of emotions and there was passion even in her fury. She shouldn't be surprised since she and Nick were one big ball of passion and had been since the moment they met. And once those connectors hit…wow, they lit fires.

Jules shook her head. She told Nick she would never be able to forgive him if he was unfaithful. She knew it looked bad for him, she knew she had hard proof and still, she truly couldn't figure out how on earth he could have been with another woman. No one on this planet could have the kind of explosive chemistry she and Nick had. No way he could find it with anyone else. It was rare. It was nearly unheard of. It always was something that they laughed about, both shocked at the intensity they felt. They never knew it was humanly possible, but she always said "they were living proof that you can love someone so much that the world around you explodes just from their kiss." She smiled thinking about Nick always telling her, "_yeah, it might be a kiss for you, Darlin, but all I need is you to walk by me…and if you really want me to attack just walk by me wearing my clothes." _

"Ugh…I cannot keep replaying this horror story! I nearly kill him, I cry for him, then I make love to him? This is insane!" she groaned and turned her music on.

Her heart was ripped to shreds instantly when the end of Colbie Caillet's song blared into her ears. Sure enough, Jules could feel the tears well in her eyes as she listened to the words.

_And now, I miss everything about you_

_Can't believe that I still want you_

_And after all the things we've been through_

_I miss everything about you_

_Without you_

**Jules closed her eyes and felt a tear fall down her cheek. She held her breath at the last verse...**

_But I never told you_

_What I should have said_

_No, I never told you_

_I just held it in_

_And now,_

_I miss everything about you_

_Can't believe that I still want you_

_And after all the things we've been through_

_I miss everything about you_

_Without you…_

She turned off her I-pod leaving her earphones in her ears.

"_Why are you torturing yourself, Jules_?" she asked herself and ran her hand over her face. "_But, maybe I should tell him. Maybe I shouldn't hold it in and I should just tell him that I DO still believe in the two of us. That I DO want to make it work… I am just so damn scared and hurt and heartbroken and betrayed," _she rattled off her thoughts.

Jules sat back in the chair and stared at Emma again. _"She is so beautiful," _she thought_, "Not just because she's my daughter, but because she really, really is. That I gotta thank Nick for… She is Nick's girl, that's for sure. Nick's girl with a mix of me in there somewhere…I think," _she smiled softly. _"She is so precious and she deserves to have a happy home."_

Emma was the baby her Grams told her she would have with Nick. Jules was always happy she named her daughter Emma, not just because she named her after, Emma Perry Carr, a woman chemist who paved the wave for all women chemists to come, but also because her name began with an "E" - a small wink at her Grams whose name was Esther. God she missed her Grams. "_Grams would know what to do," _she thought. Jules pressed her lips together…"_Grams would be furious at Nick. She would tell me to 'throw his white ass out!'" _Jules almost laughed out loud thinking about her Grams getting fired up and using profanity. She **never **cursed so the word "ass" for her would mean she was spittin' mad. _"No way Grams would let me believe for one minute that pictures lie and phone bills aren't proof. She would tell me to 'wake up and get your head out of the sand, Baby Girl. I didn't raise no fool' … Totally. That is what she would say I just know it!"_

And then, _**suddenly**_, she remembered when she was in the coma. She remembered the conversation she had with her Grams. She sucked in her breath and covered her mouth with her hand, remembering her Grams telling her, _"I can promise you that you and Nick will be happy together __**if **__you let yourself. Don't push him away, Baby Girl. Do you hear me?" _

Jules felt herself go numb. Her Grams would know. She was in the position to know! "_You know everything up there in Heaven, right, Grams_?" she wondered out loud.

Her thoughts continued.

"_Baby Girl, I know all about him. And you are right, he is a wonderful man with a very big heart. He loves you and you have changed him… you've made him feel again," _Jules swallowed hard from the memory of her Grams telling her emphatically "…you must promise me…**let him love you**….don't you put up a wall like you do. **You hear me, child**!" Her Grams insisted she promise her that. _"_

_Grams would never, ever, tell me to love a man that she would know would do me wrong in the end. Not possible. This just doesn't make sense."_

The more Jules sat there remembering the more she came to the conclusion that it wasn't true. Nick never came out and denied being with Brooke, but he held to his story that he didn't remember.

"_But how could you not remember? Come on, who would believe that? But this is Nick. MY Nick."_

She just couldn't see it.

Jules put her head down in her hand, and remembered looking at that phone bill. Remembering five different calls in more than one day. He had spoken to her after the wedding. After their fling.

"_Ugh_," she groaned. _"How do I overlook that? Come on Jules, you know better. The evidence is in front of you! Maybe Grams just didn't know this would happen? Maybe…Oh God, I can't think about this anymore. I need to know the truth. He said he called to find out answers. Well, I need answers too!"_

Jules got up from her chair and went to the phone that was sitting in the charger on the countertop. Picking it up she called Catherine.

"This is Catherine," she said picking up the phone rather quickly.

"Catherine, it's Jules," she told her.

"Hi, Jules," she said with a concerned tone, "Everything okay? What's the matter?"

Catherine wasn't used to Jules calling her. She would every now and then but Catherine was still concerned knowing that Nick was out of the house and she and Emma were alone.

"Oh, no, nothing…I was just wondering if Lindsay can babysit tonight," she swallowed hard knowing she rarely left Emma with anyone but her friends or brother.

Jules had told Nick she thought Lindsay was too young when he suggested it last time. She agreed to it but worried all through the movie. When they were heading to the restaurant after the movie, Nick looked over at her and told her they could just go home.

"Sunshine, you don't know one thing that went on in that movie do ya?" he smiled.

"Yeah, I do!…okay, no I don't. Don't you think sixteen is a little young?" she bit her lip.

"Jules! Emma loves Lindsay! Lindsay loves Em! But if you want to go back home we can go back home, Darlin'" he shook his head at her and gave her a Nick Stokes smile.

And they went home after only an hour and a half.

Catherine answered Jules question happily, "Absolutely, what time do you need her?"

"Is 8:00 okay?" Jules looked up at the clock that hung on her kitchen wall, "…or is that too short of a notice?"

"No, no, it's fine, I'm not working tonight anyway so it works out good," she told her and Jules was so glad when Catherine didn't ask **why **she needed a babysitter. "I can drop her off and just call me when you need me to pick her up."

"Oh gooood, that sounds perfect. Tell Lindsay I am ordering her a pizza. Does she want anything on it?"

"No, whatever, you don't even have to do that!" she argued.

"No, let her know it will be here if she wants it,,, and Catherine?"

"Yea?" Catherine answered.

"Thank you so much! Thank you!" Jules said enthusiastically.

Jules hung up the phone and took a deep breath. She quickly dialed Mario's Pizzeria and placed her order.

"Yes, hi, I'd like to order a pizza and some mozzarella sticks," she told the man on the other end of the phone. "It'll be a delivery."

"Not a problem, name and address?" he asked in a thick Italian accent.

"Jules Stokes at 11548 Timber Mountain **- **you've been here before."

"Oh yeah, yeah, sure thing, Mrs. Stokes, it'll be about twenty minutes," he told her.

"Sounds great. Thank you!" she said and took money out from her purse and tossed it on the countertop.

Placing her purse back on the desk, Jules walked quietly over to the couch. She gently scooped up her daughter and carried her upstairs. Laying her down in her own little bed, Jules leaned in and kissed her.

_"Mommy loves you, Baby…and she's gonna try to make things right if she can…I promise,_" she whispered and she put the woobie next to her daughter's her head.

And Jules planned to do just that…


	34. King or Queen?

Don't own CSI. Rated K

**Well, when a couple like Nick and Jules get together the stars align.**

**How can you give up something that was made in Heaven? **

**Something so cosmically right.**

**It's something they need to discuss and give serious thought to, don't you think?**

**Can they get through anything? **

**Sometimes love is not enough...and sometimes it could be.**

You will have to hang on for their journey

Thank you to the lurkers who like my story enough to take a minute to review. It truly touches me and if my reviewers only knew how much it inspires me to write you would pat yourselves on the back and keep on reviewing...you will be rewarded with new chapters as you can see! And they're long ones you lucky dogs ;o)

* * *

She argued with herself as she drove quickly down Sunset Strip.

_"You are so stupid…You are such a pathetic wimp…Oh God, would you use your brains, Jules?"_

The negative chatter flew through her brain at the speed of light.

Jules wanted to drown out the voices that yelled at her to turn around. She turned on the radio just in time to hear the lyrics of the Taylor Swift and John Mayer song.

_I remember what you wore on the first day_

_You came into my life_

_And I thought hey_

_You know this could be something_

**Jules heart dropped so hard she swore it might've just fallen out of her body. She couldn't get her finger to change the channel fast enough. It was too late, she heard the next verse…**

'_Cause everything you do and words you say_

_You know that it all takes my breath away_

_And now I'm left with nothing_

_So maybe it's true, that I can't live without you_

Jules felt her throat tighten. She swallowed hard and realized that those words were so true…she absolutely did remember what he wore that fist day she met him.

"_How could I forget?" _she said to herself and smiled softly thinking about him leaning against the bar ordering drinks for his table and looking so amazingly magnetic; it was that day he instantly stole her heart.

"_Oh Cowboy, I did know 'it could be something'…no, actually I knew it __**would **__be something,_" she said aloud as she drove. "_And you do 'take my breath away' …you always have."_

Jules knew. Those lyrics were undoubtedly true and so she repeated the words in a whisper_…"I __**can't **__live without you. I just can't, Nicky."_

She kept driving and refused to turn around. She did, however, reach over and turn off the radio before hearing one more word of that song. She didn't want to be influenced…she knew she needed to think logically. She thought about her brother and her best friend, and how they would tell her she was crazy and she was an idiot for believing in a song…for believing in Nick.

The negative voices haunted her again.

"_You can still turn around…you still have a chance_…" she said as she pulled around to the front doors of the Bellagio.

Her hands shook while she took the ticket from the valet, but she still managed to tip him a few dollars before she walked in the door.

Wearing a little red halter dress, she looked stunning even though she didn't have a lot of time to try. She walked straight into the lobby and took a deep breath and contemplated moving forward.

She told herself no, and she decided to turn back, but her feet didn't listen. It was her feet that walked her right into the lobby where she saw a huge, velvet, couch. She sat down, and waited for him. And as she waited she thought about how she got to this point…

"Stokes," Nick's raspy voice answered.

He had been sleeping, she could tell, not only by the tone of his voice, but because he obviously grabbed the phone without looking at the caller ID before answering it or else he wouldn't have answered using only his last name. She had forgotten he worked another double again which meant he would be exhausted. She felt a little bad about waking him but she needed to talk to him.

"Nick…," she said softly in to the phone, "I woke you , didn't I?"

"Jules? No, no, it's okay, Honey. What's the matter?" he said trying to hide his grogginess.

"Oh no, no.. I um, **no**, nothing is the matter this time… I just.. um," she stuttered profusely. Everything she had practiced she botched immediately.

She became silent.

"Sweetheart, you're scaring me…what is it?" Nick asked again and she could hear him sit up from his sleeping position.

"I just needed to talk to you," she whispered.

"Okaaay?" he sounded nervous.

He was sure she wanted to explain that she changed her mind and they should have never have made love a few nights ago. He knew it was coming.

But Nick was shocked speechless when she didn't say she was sorry at all.

"I missed your voice," she whispered out.

She heard Nick take a deep breath and let it out.

She continued, "I can't stand not hearing it…I miss you…I know I'm not being fair…I know, and it's stupid for me to call, I know that, but… I just couldn't stand it. Maybe…um…." she paused, took a deep breath and told him what was in her heart.

"Nick, can we can meet?" she asked with fear in her voice, unsure if she was doing the right thing. "So we can talk...I mean really talk."

"Yeah, of course! When? Now? I can be at the house in fifteen minutes," he told her anxiously.

"No, um, uh, how about we not stay in the house…I'll leave Emma with a babysitter…so we can talk with no interruptions," she asked knowing what happened the last time he came over.

"Okay, okay," he said in the southern accent she loved so much, "…you want to go to Del Monaco's? The bar on Westwood? Just tell me where, Babe, and I will be there,"

"No, not those places," she was **not **about to possibly get caught out with Nick by **any **of her friends and especially not Warrick or Trista.

Her stomach dropped at the thought of them finding out she was weakening.

"How about at the Bellagio…can you meet me at The Fontana Bar?" she asked.

"The Bellagio's Fontana Bar? Now?" he said shocked. "Right now? Reaalllly…wow, of course. Who is staying with Em?

"Lindsay," she said and waited for his response.

"Lindsay Willows? You said she was too young…_**not that I'm complaining**_," he said half smiling on the other side of the phone.

"She's just about seventeen now, and I figured it was time for me to relax and stop being so paranoid. And besides, like you said, I can't always rely on Trista, Nat, Warrick oreven Brett."

"Sooo basically you're afraid they'll find out, is what your _**realllly **_saying," he laughed a little.

"Yeah, pretty much," she smirked. "I can have her here at 8:00...is that good?"

Nick looked at his watch, it gave him a almost an hour.

"Definitely, I will be there at 8:00. I'll meet you in the lobby…and Babe, I'm so glad you called me."

"Yeah, well, I am so not sure this was a good idea but I can't help it, Nick…I just need to…I need to see you," she said quietly. "We need to really sit down and talk. We haven't done that…a real talk, I mean."

"No, you're right," he nodded.

Jules came out of her thoughts to see him walking toward her. She felt her heart leap in her chest. He was so handsome. She found him to be the most gorgeous man in the world. She loved everything about him from head to toe. She watched him look around the lobby. She would have called to him but she couldn't speak; he took her breath away. She was staring at him like a star struck fan. She felt her knees shake like a school girl's.

Nick was wearing black dress pants and a polo shirt. He looked clean and fresh and simply a perfect. Jules couldn't look away.

As Nick looked around anxiously to find his wife, he thought about their conversation earlier…

When the phone rang next to Nick's head he thought he was dreaming. It took a few rings to realize that it was really his phone and he fumbled for it on the table. He had been asleep on Greg Sanders' couch and, since he had the day off, he wasn't expecting any calls.

When he heard her voice he worried. First he worried about his daughter and then, when he heard Emma was fine, he was worried that it was about Jules moving forward with a lawyer and willing to walk away. He certainly did not expect her to say she needed to see him.

Nick nearly tripped over himself to get into the shower. He had limited amount of clothing to work with but he remembered he could use his suit pants from the suit he wore to court the day before, and a polo shirt that he knew she loved. The Fontana Bar at the Bellagio was not a place to wear jeans to, so he made sure he was neat and clean. Nick knew she chose that place because none of her friends would be there; he understood that.

Nick tore out of the Sanders' complex like a bat out of Hell. As he drove he worried he was dreaming again. He turned on the radio to drown out his fears. Colbie Caillat sang out as he drove…

_I miss those blue eyes_

_How you kiss me at night_

_I miss the way we sleep_

_Like there's no sunrise_

_Like the taste of your smile_

_I miss the way we breathe_

"_**Oh my God, man, are you trying to make yourself heartsick before you even see her?" **_he said to himself as he felt his throat tighten from the truth of the singer's words.

He reached over and turned off the radio for fear he would have too heavy a heart before he even walked onto the place.

He knew one thing for sure…he wasn't dreaming.

When he saw her his heart melted. He loved that dress on her. She was so beautiful. He smiled wide and sucked in a huge breath of air. He never took his eyes off of her as he walked toward her.

"Hi, Honey," he smiled as she stood up. He leaned in and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, Cowboy," she accidentally called him the nickname she gave him so many years ago.

Nick felt his heart melt from hearing her call him that once again.

Together they walked into the Fontana Bar. They looked around and saw it was packed and she was a little disappointed because she was hoping it wouldn't be crowed. She didn't want anyone they knew to see them together and she was worried they wouldn't be able to talk with all the noise.

Nick looked at her and had a feeling he knew what was going through her mind. He figured she was shocked that it was so crowded. She was worrying they'd be seen together and she would look like such a fool to her friends for meeting up with the cheating husband that was fucking around with his college girlfriend. He remembered how those pictures were splashed all over her FaceBook wall for all her friends to see. He blew out a large breath of air thinking about those pictures being revealed to everyone like that. He couldn't blame her. If it was him that it happened to…he would feel the same way.

"Babe?" he said as he touched her waist.

She looked at him and once again he was struck by her beauty.

She didn't say anything she just waited for him to speak.

"Did you want to get a table or sit at the bar?" he asked.

"What?" she asked back.

He repeated himself louder.

She shook her head unsure if she heard him correctly.

They both stared at each other knowing it was too loud for what the needed.

They needed time to talk. Time to be completely alone. Time to really think about whether this was the end of the line for them. This was not a joke…this could not be taken lightly. They both knew it. It was an opportunity for them to decide if this "affair" he supposedly had would be what broke their fairytale. This was not a conversation to be had at the louder than usual Fontana Bar.

Jules yelled, "Wait here!" and held her finger up to him to let him know she wanted him to wait and that she would be right back. He wasn't sure why but he wasn't going to argue with her. He was just happy she was willing to see him.

Jules turned and walked out of the bar and back into the Bellagio lobby. Nick watched her go and wondered where she could possibly be going, but he stayed where he was like she asked.

"Hello! Welcome to the Bellagio, how may I help you today?" the small framed man behind the counter asked with a professional smile.

"I'd like a room," she smiled back at him.

"And how many nights will you be staying with us?" he asked politely.

"Just one, I think," she nodded.

As the young man typed in the information he offered Jules a lovely room with a view.

"That sounds fine," she said as her hands began to shake and she removed her credit card from her wallet.

"And would you like a King or two Queens?" he asked politely.

Jules stared at him. She wasn't sure how to answer that. She just needed the room to have a place to talk with Nick alone.

"Would you like a King bed or two Queen beds?" he repeated himself.

"A King is fine," she stammered, figuring Nick could just stay there tonight instead of sleeping at Greg's anyway.

In fact, he should probably stay there until they decide what to do; he can't stay on Sanders' couch forever, she rationalized.

As she waited for the bill to sign, she swallowed hard and wondered if perhaps she just made a huge mistake. She knew better. She knew that the two of them left alone together in a room was a recipe for disaster. She bit her bottom lip, signed her name, and handed the man back his pen and his copy of the slip.

"Thank you for staying with us at the Bellagio, Mrs. Stokes, we are sure you will enjoy your stay," he said as he handed her the key card.

Jules said thank you, threw her receipt in her purse, and walked back to The Fontana Bar to find Nick.

Her heart pounded as she spotted him. He smiled a Stokes' smile and nodded upward when he saw her come back. He had been afraid for a minute that she changed her mind and left him there. She waved her hand beckoning him toward her. He squinted his eyes and tilted his head. He walked out to the lobby to meet her.

"What's up, Honey? Where'd you go?" he asked confused.

Jules just handed him the key card.

"You don't have to sleep on Sanders' couch tonight," she smiled softly.

He looked at the key and back up at Jules.

"You got us a room?" he tilted his head and squinted his eyes.

"No, not exactly, I got **you **a room. I just think you and I could use it for a little while to talk in it in private. Then you can just stay behind and get a good night's rest. You have off tonight anyway," she explained.

Nick nodded. He felt good knowing she didn't hate him. She still cared about him getting a good night's sleep on a real bed instead of Sanders' couch. He felt very good about that.

Nick smiled at her, "You afraid someone will see ya, huh?"

"Maybe…but we really do need a quiet place to talk and it just works out all the way around…you want the room or not?" she asked raising her eyebrows and tilted her head slightly.

Nick smiled as he nodded and took the key from her… together they headed to the elevator.


	35. Deal with the Devil

**RATED M **- **Warning this is a filthy chapter that threatens forced sex..dirty smut**.

You will hate Jimmy Cole & Jolene Parker even more if that's possible. They are despicable.

And you will also hear what Brooke did to Nick if you listen to her mention something to Jolene on the phone.

Poor Nicky. Poor Jules.

These people are animals and they are on a hunt for blood.

What will happen now?

* * *

"**Are you seriously telling me that you saw them together at the Bellagio? _Together_, you're sure**?" Jimmy Cole nearly yelled into the phone used by the prisoners at the Las Vegas Penitentiary, "How is that possible?"

"Yep, that's what I saw, Cole, that's exactly what I saw, I'm positive." she told him assuredly. "I thought you would want to know about it…you always tell us that if we ever see anything regarding the CSI and Jules Stokes you want to know about.." she couldn't finish her sentence because Cole grew angry.

"**DON'T YOU DARE CALL HER THAT! DO. NOT. CALL. HER THAT! Do you understand me? I **_**never **_**want to hear his last name attached to her again…you got that?" **he growled with fury.

"Oh, oh, sorry, Cole, it won't happen again, um, anyway, you wanted to know about anything we see and that's what I saw," Tonya told him while chewing loudly on her gum. "I did good, right, Cole?"

"Yes, Tonya, yep, ya did," he nodded as he spoke, "I'll add 5 Benjamins to your pay by the end of the week," he told her.

"Sweet! Thanks, Cole!" she said happily.

"Yeah, well, T, you gave me some serious information and it's appreciated. I need you to call Jolene Parker and tell her what you told me," he explained, "and I want her to tell Brooke Latham that she better do a better job if she knows what's good for her."

"Do you want me to have her call you?" she asked.

"What do you think this is, the fuckin' Hilton?" he snapped, "Tell her she needs to come here for a visitation," he demanded.

"You got it, Cole," she agreed, "and Cole, have you been able to pull strings for a conjugal?" she hoped.

"Not yet."

"But you'll choose me, right? You'll put my name down, right, Cole?" she begged.

"After what you did today, T? You better believe it. I will definitely let you have a piece of me," he said with arrogance.

* * *

It wasn't more than 24 hours before Jolene Parker waited for Cole to be escorted in at the table in the Visitor's room.

"Hey, Jimmy, how you doin', ok?" she asked.

"Same shit, different day," he smiled, "I appreciate you coming so quickly," he nodded.

"Oh, for you, Cole? Anything! You know that," she smiled wide, "Tonya gave me the run down. I gotta tell ya, I'm shocked. I thought my daughter had more brains than that…or so I was told," she said.

"Yeah, well, I trust Tonya...she knows exactly who they are **and **she is in love with me so she aims to please with information...well, with everything, really," he chuckled.

"Listen, I need you to tell Brooke that she better get the fucking job done right or she will be very, very sorry," he told her, "and let me tell ya something, Jo, I will send someone out to rough her up if she complains."

Jolene nodded listening carefully.

"Tell her she will not be getting the rest of her money if she cannot get this bullshit under control," he frowned, "I am NOT pleased about this. It ain't her fault, that's why I ain't havin' her beat up for it. It's Jules, she is being very stupid to believe in that CSI. It makes me sick, fuckin' sick," he shook his head.

"I got it, Cole, I got it. I will add to it and have it taken care of. She will know exactly what you expect when I am done with her," she nodded.

"You can do this over the phone, BUT, Jo, if she gives you a hard time, I will fly you and a friend of mine out to Texas again. I don't want to have to do that. Listen, tell her I want her to use some of her money that she earned doing this shit if she has to. I don't really fucking care…I want it done!" he banged his fist on the table.

* * *

"Hello?" a sweet, feminine southern voice answered the phone.

"Brooke," Jolene Parker said, "it's Jolene."

"Uh, hi," she said nervously, "what's up?"

"Cole isn't happy," she began, "and if I were you I would get myself together and find away to continue your damage. Trust me Brooke, you better do what it takes to make him happy and break up the Stokes!"

"Wait, I **DID**!" she defended, "The idiot threw him out! She and Nick haven't been together in over a month, whaddya mean?"

"**Wrong**. Apparently Jules met up with the douche bag at the Bellagio…a pretty fancy hotel here in Vegas,"

"I know it," she said flatly.

"Yeah, must be nice to spend money like that…God forbid she should share any with me…I never stayed at the Bellagio…I always stayed at places like the Lamplight for God's sake," she complained.

"Uh huh," Brooke said not caring about Jolene's issues and greed. "Well, uh, what does he want me to do this time? It's not like I can fool him again. It's not like I can get him drunk and slip a roofie in his beer again. I won't have that chance, Jolene!"

"Let me explain it to you this way, Doll, " she began, " _**you figure it the fuck out!**_ You figure it out because you made a deal with the devil and he owns you now. He dropped over ten grand on you...you think that he just throws money like that around? Not unless he wants something and guess what, he owns you now…you had to know he always would!" she cackled.

"It was just a job, Jolene, just a job!" she complained.

Jolene laughed harder. "Deal with the Devil, Doll! Deal with the fuckin' devil, you fool!"

Brooke shivered knowing it was true.

"Well, then, um, what should I do?" she asked quietly.

"I told you…figure it out," she paused, "but I want you to know this much…Cole told me that if you give me a hard time I am going to be flown out there. I won't be alone either. He will send a… a 'friend' to join me. I will introduce you to that friend," she smirked getting that power feeling rushing through her veins.

"What are you saying?" she asked fearfully, "He'll…he'll hurt me?"

"Come on, Doll, you're in the big league now. What do **YOU **think?" she laughed, "and if I have to fly there again, Honey, I will make sure I get a taste of your pussy this time. I let you off the hook last time but if Cole owns you, then I own you too…Cole told me to tell you that," she lied.

"**WHAT**?" she gasped, "**WHY YOU**? Why would you want to go down on **ME**? You said you don't swing that way…**you said you're not even a lesbian!**" she complained.

"**Because I can**…that's the reason why, Doll, _**because I can**_!" she laughed feeling powerful, "and because I love it that you never got your pussy licked by a woman before…it makes me know I'll be the first to take you there," she smirked devilishly.

"Na, I don't think so, Jolene! **_No one owns me_**!" she tried to sound tough.

"Don't push me, Brooke," Jolene growled to show that **she **had the power and she wasn't giving it up.

Jolene Parker loved having power. She wasn't used to having it and she damn well was going to make up for lost time now.

"In fact, Doll face, for that wise ass comment, I will tell Jimmy you were giving me a hard time. I will tell Jimmy to fly me to Texas and send along a 'friend'. I will take you back to that hotel room that I saw you admiring. And this time, Doll," she laughed, "this time I will have you held down if you argue or fight me. I will lick figure eights all over your lezbo virgin clit," she told her. "I will make you cum even if you think you never would ," she informed her. "**AND **then, when I have you like putty in my hands, I will make you eat me like I'm a free buffet at the Tangier.," she laughed at her own joke and touched herself realizing that maybe she did have some lesbian in her since thinking about it made her hot. "_Nah, she said to herself, I just got the power to do whatever I want to this bitch and that in itself is H. O. T!_" she smiled and raised an eyebrow.

"Ok, ok, I got it," she caved and sighed loudly, "tell Cole I will get the job done."

"That's a good girl…that's exactly what he wanted to hear," she smirked.

"Good luck, Doll…your pussy ain't the only thing that depends on it."

Jolene hung up and laughed as she poured herself another scotch and soda.


	36. Hard to Believe

Rated T for language - maybe M for sexual innuendos.

I don't own CSI.

**Oh Boy, I'm gonna catch a lot of slack for this chapter.**

**What can I say? It's not my fault...if YOU were Jules would you be okay with this scenario?**

**Tough pill to swallow, I must say.**

**But, perhaps being alone in a hotel room will help? **

**Or...**

**maybe not.**

**I can hear my faithful reviewers now... excuse me while I duck for cover....**

_*Special Note to Ash Marie...I'm not ignoring you, I just can't answer your question b/c ur set to private.**  
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An awkwardness loomed inside the elevator as Jules and Nick took it to seventh floor. Jules was quiet because she was wondering if she made a huge mistake. Nick was quiet because he didn't want to have this end badly. They were both worried and it caused a deafening silence to envelope the elevator. Finally, Nick spoke in order to lighten the mood.

"What room are we in?" he asked smirking.

"710, why?" she looked over at him as the elevator doors opened and they stepped out.

"Just wondering if you were putting me in Murder Central…your plan to knock me off," he smiled wide as they continued to walk down the hall.

"Nah, I think you'll be safe right here in the middle," she laughed and stopped in front of Room 710.

Nick slid the key card in the slot and when the little light turned green he opened the door letting Jules walk in first. Jules asked Nick if he was hungry on the way into the room.

"Yeah, I am actually. How about you?" he asked looking around for a menu.

"Very. I planned on eating at The Fontana Bar but…well, that didn't quite pan out did it," she gave him a closed mouth smile and threw her purse on the bed. "It was really packed tonight, wasn't it!"

"And loud," he smiled a sweet smile.

"Was it always like that and I forgot? We haven't been there in years, right?" she asked unsure.

"I think we forgot and it's always like that," he nodded.

"Yeah, I guess you're right…too bad, because I am hungry," she said matter of factly.

"No big deal, Darlin', we can just order Room Service," he said handing her the menu off the little round table next to the window.

She took the menu and sat at the edge of the bed. She looked through it and closed it putting it down by her side.

"Um, did ya want to pass that over here?" he said leaning against the dressed with his arms folded in front of him.

"You can have it but…"

"But what?" he jerked his head back with confusion.

"But you know you're just gonna get a bacon cheeseburger anyway," she laughed and held it out to him.

"Maybe not, Sunshine, maybe not," he said in a sing song tone and then laughed.

Okay, we'll see," she said giving him the "knowing look" and watched him peruse the menu. After he turned the page three times she got up and walked to the phone.

"Hi, I'd like to order Room Service," she told the gentleman on the other end of the phone.

"Yes, Ma`am, it would be my pleasure," he replied.

Jules looked over at Nick who was smiling wide and she knew why.

"Can I get a turkey club and a bacon cheeseburger… medium rare." she smirked and he laughed shaking his head. "Oh, and I need two bottles of ice tea, if you have it," she told him. "Ok, great, great. No, it's okay, we don't mind." she said and hung up the phone, turning toward him once again.

"We don't mind what?" he tilted his head and squinted his eyes.

"It's gonna be at least a half an hour…they're busy tonight…as if The Fontana didn't give us a clue!" she said referring to the crowd downstairs.

Nick chuckled and shook his head.

"How the hell did you know I would order that?" he laughed.

"Please, come on, how long have I been with you now?" she shook her head and laughed too.

She looked over at him and their eyes locked. The smile faded off each others faces. She realized she just made a remark about how long they've been together and how she knew him so well…and the whole sad reason they were meeting was to see if it was the end of the road.

The stare lasted a while… Longer than either of them wanted it to, but neither of them could look away.

Finally Jules breaks away from his eyes and looks over at the small, round, table in front of the window and walks toward it. Nick follows quickly behind her and pulls out the chair for her to sit down.

"Always the gentleman, huh, Texas," she winced inside again. She still loved talking with him and she wasn't supposed to be enjoying him as much as she still does.

Nick sat down across from her and he asked her the question he really didn't want to know the answer to.

"Where do you want to start?" he asked and wrung his hands together nervously.

"I guess…Brooke Latham is first up," she said with a pained look in her eyes just at saying her name.

"Wow, right to it, huh," he smiled.

"Yeah, well, she's the reason we're sitting here," Jules said and she didn't smile back.

Nick nodded.

Jules looked at him, "Why? I just want to know why…," she frowned trying to mask the hurt.

"Why? Why what?" he shook his head.

"Nick! Don't start," she snapped.

"How can I tell you why when I don't even know **HOW**," he implored.

"Do you realize how that sounds? Anyone who hears that would laugh and roll their eyes…probably throw in a '_yeah likely story' _too," she sighed.

"I don't care what anyone else says…I care only about what **YOU **say," he rubbed the back of his neck.

"God, Nick, what do I say? What do I say? I say I should run out of here while I still can," she bit her bottom lip.

"Don't…don't run from this…don't run from me," he said softly.

"I want to know what Brooke said to you on the phone…why you called her **five **times," she stared at him finally asking the question she wanted to ask but never could.

"I told you! I told you the day you nearly gave me a concussion with that coffee mug you aimed at my head...I called her looking for answers…and I didn't get any. It was like talking to a brick wall," he frowned, "and I am telling ya, Babe, something is not right about her answers," he squinted remembering the things she said.

"How so?" she said tilting her head to the side unsure if she would believe what he was going to say.

"Well, to begin with she told me she knew nothing about those pictures," he told her.

"So, maybe she didn't take them, maybe she…" Jules looked down. She hated even talking about her.

"She told me she didn't know about the pictures but then she mentioned how many there were, how would she know that?" he said.

"Nick, I think that is nonsense…you are just looking too deep into it…it's not a crime scene investigation," she frowned.

"Well, I find our whole 'hook up' hard to believe. **You **find it hard to believe. Anyone who knows me finds…"

She cut him off.

"And yet there are pictures to prove it," she pressed her lips together and raised her eyebrows.

"And there are pictures that prove it…I know, I know," he ran his hand over his face.

"So you are sticking to your story that you don't remember," she sighed. "I think if you were just honest about it…about everything, we could build our trust back up. See where it takes us if we just go slow and you tell me the truth!" she insisted.

Jules was getting angry. She was tired of him saying he didn't remember …she saw the pictures and the phone bill and Brooke said it herself that he fucked her for hours. And those pictures showed he sure looked like he was having a hell of a good time. It was pissing her off and she wanted him to just admit it.

"But I **am **telling you the truth...you just wont believe me!" he raised his voice in frustration.

"Because it sounds fucking crazy, Nick!" she got louder too.

"I know! But I am telling you the truth and it is _**really starting to piss ME off **_that you wouldn't believe me after I have spent a month telling you the same thing over and over…**I DO NOT REMEMBER BEING WITH HER!" **he insisted.

"No, no, no, **YOU **don't get to be pissed off about how I feel seeing _**my husband**_ being straddled by a half naked woman!" she said and looked at him with pure disgust. "Look, I did not come here to fight with you. I did not come here to hear the same bullshit. And you're right…_**I don't believe you! I think you are covering your ass**_…that's what I think. It's the oldest fucking line in the book!" she said nastily.

"It's not a line, Jules!" he insisted not backing down.

"**YOU FUCKED HER FOR _HOURS_, NICK**!" she felt her stomach literally churn as she said it but continued on, "Brooke told me herself! She told me and I happen to know first hand how you are! I know you can fuck like a machine! _**I just always thought it was because you were turned on by ME!"**_ she slammed her hand down on the table and stood up.

"Oh, oh, there you go…ready to jump up from the table and run around yelling instead of talking this out!" he rolled his eyes with disgust and his jaw was tight.

"_**OH, oh**_, you think I gotta jump up to yell? How about I just get up so I can get my fucking purse and get the fuck out of here! This was a big mistake. **BIG**," she pointed at him as she yelled.

"**No it is not! **_**It is not a big mistake…it was a good idea but you have to run off like a fucking baby!"**_ he yelled.

Jules glared at him.

"Whatever, Nick…yeah, you're right…I'm a runner, remember?" she shook her head in disgust at forever holding that title.

"I didn't say that," he stood up too.

"Enjoy your dinner and your cozy bed, Nick," she grabbed her purse off the bed and stormed out of the room.

The tremendous slam of the hotel room door echoed in Nick's ears. He sat on the end of the bed and groaned loudly before throwing himself backward on the mattress and staring up at the ceiling.


	37. For You

CSI ain't mine. Rated M

How much can these two take before they just need to throw in the towel?

Even their fighting is passion filled.

We know for sure Nick loves Jules.

We know for sure Jules still loves Nick.

But, how can she get past this?

**Sometimes all you need is a little help from the Heavens...**

**Enjoy my faithful readers...reviews are loved!  
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She heard the door slam loudly as she stormed down the hall furious. She was so angry she was talking to herself all the way to the elevator.

"He's pissed at **ME**! He's fucking pissed at **ME**? _Fuuuuckkkk you, buddy_!" she grumbled. "He has his fucking ex-girlfriend's breasts in his hands but he's annoyed that I won't believe him? Riiiight….. Asshole!"

She slammed her finger into the Down button on the elevator and she waited and she cursed him the whole time.

_"He must think I am a real idiot...doesn't fucking remember...yeah, my ass! Fucking liar..."_

But, as she was waiting and cursing him she swore she heard a voice. She stopped her grumbling and stood still. When she didn't hear anything she continued her bitching but soon heard it again. Jules looked behind her but no one was there. She began to furrow her brow and bite her bottom lip. She watched the floor numbers at the top of the elevator. She heard that voice again and she knew. She knew exactly who's voice it was, and she closed her eyes. She could hear her now plain as day…she remembered the words she had told her…

"Baby Girl, _that man loves you_…_DO NOT push him away __no matter what__…let him love you."_

Jules looked up to the ceiling and frowned. _"No matter what? Really? Are you sure?" _she asked out loud.

The elevator doors opened as she was talking to herself and two young women were looking at her.

"Uh, hello? Are you getting in?" the girl with the dark hair asked.

The other one looked at her friend and they giggled slightly as Jules just stared into the elevator vacantly.

"Um, do you want us to hold the door?" the dark haired girl asked again.

"Teresa, just hit the close button, the chick is high or something!" the light brown haired girl said and rolled her eyes as the door closed.

Jules didn't care. She barely heard them. She was paralyzed with the realization that she was already given the answer. She didn't have to ask Nick...she didn't even need to doubt him. Grams was telling her that he is a good man and he loves her. Her Grams would know. Her Grams promised to always be with her.

Jules turned back and walked as quickly as she could back to Room 710 and she banged her fist against the door.

"**LEAVE IT AT THE DOOR,**" Nick yelled from inside the room.

Jules banged again hoping he would answer so she wouldn't have to yell out in the hallway.

"**Jeez man, just leave it…I'm not hungry right now! LEAVE IT!"** he yelled louder. _"Like I wanna eat a fuckin' hamburger after my life has been fuckin' ruined?" _he grumbled to himself miserably.

Jules banged again and Nick sat up, rubbed the side of his neck and stood up. "_Is this dude kidding me?" _he said to himself and flung open the door to tell him that he could shove the food up his ass for all he cared.

But Nick didn't say anything like that when he saw who was on the other side of the door.

"Jules?" was all he could whisper out. "Baby… what are you…" Nick sentence was cut off before he could finish it because Jules grabbed his face with both of her hands and pulled him into a mind blowing kiss that was so unexpected Nick wasn't sure what happened.

Nick pushed away to make sure this was what he thought it was…and he stared at her with his mouth hanging open in shock.

"Babe? I don't under…"

Jules grabbed the front of his shirt in her fists and pulled him to her roughly. She kissed him again and pushed her body up against his making him back up into the room completely. They both heard the door slam loudly except this time they weren't on opposite sides of it.

Jules and Nick were wild with passion. There was no spark, it was a full out blaze. They were kissing like their lives depended on it. And in a weird way…it did.

Once Nick recovered from the shock of her coming back to him he grabbed her face and ran his fingers through her hair as he kissed her. He backed her up against the wall by the door and he felt her undo his belt. He ran his hands over her shoulders, and down her bare arms. He caressed her breasts over her dress before moving them upward and unhooking the halter from behind her neck. Her dress fell and revealed a seductive red lace bra. Nick stared at it for a second. While their lips were apart from one another, Nick whispered to her.

"My God, Baby, are you really here?"

"I am here, Cowboy, I am right here," and she grabbed his face again with intensity.

Her lips accosted his and their tongues were more than happy to meet again.

Jules kicked off her sandals and let her dress fall to the floor. Nick looked down and saw the matching red, lace, thong and it made him crazy. He felt her fiddling with his button and zipper but the belt was getting in the way. Nick reached down and whipped his belt completely off his pants and threw it across the room. He undid his pants and let them fall to the floor. His boxers followed right after and joined her red dress which lay at their feet.

Nick moved her away from their clothing and he banged Jules into the door with force. He grabbed her wrists and held them over her head with one hand. Jules rolled her head to the side as he sucked it hard and grabbed her ass, pushing her closer to him.

"My. God. Baby, I love you so much…ohhhh you have no idea how much I love you," he panted out as he kissed her neck and shoulder.

Jules leaned into his ear and with a raspy whispered she told him what he longed to hear.

"I believe you, Cowboy, I trust you…and I am right here…right where I wanna be," and she began to suck his neck with passion.

Nick was out of his mind. He couldn't believe what was happening and he was absolutely wild with her. He needed her. He wanted her. He wanted her so badly he ravished her. Moving his hand from her wrists, she let them fall to his shoulders and ran her fingers over his back. She could feel his shoulder and arm muscles move with him as he leaned down and grabbed her panties pulling them down roughly.

They were on fire. They were unstoppable. Nick grabbed her bare thigh and pulled it up to his hip. He held it there while the other hand guided his hardened cock inside of her. Once inside, Jules moaned with indescribable ecstasy. Nick began to slam himself inside her with a combination of many emotions…passion, love, lust, desire, need, all of them combined into one explosive time bomb.

As Nick thrust himself harder into her he reached over and grabbed her other thigh and pushed her up and against the door. She wrapped her legs around him and pressed her cheek against his. Nick pounded into her with that intense mix of emotion and she moaned into his ear.

"Mmmm Nicky…I love you, Cowboy…I will always love you…don't you know that? You are a part of me…" she told him before stopping to moan louder with sheer pleasure.

The door was hard against her back and it gave him the leverage to go deeper inside her. It was exactly what they both needed…to be inside so deep they could reach each others souls. As Nick pounded her into the door furiously they were both startled by another pounding on the other side of the door.

Nick was too wild and emotional to stop. He didn't care who it was. He didn't care if it was hotel management knocking to tell them there has been reports of a disturbance, he didn't care if the hotel was on fire…all he wanted at that moment was to be inside his wife and to take her with him to a place where they needed to be and should never have left.

The words "Room Service" were drowned out by their moans and groans.

Nick threw her up higher around his waist and moved her to the bed as their mouths attached themselves to one another.

Jules fingers swam through his dark hair.

With her still wrapped around his waist be managed to crawl onto the bed with her and resume their crazy, intense sex. He grabbed her wrists and threw them over her head again and he sucked her nipples ferociously. Jules yelled out loudly.

"OH NICKKKK…Nick. Niiiickkkk!" she screamed.

"No, maam, it's Jeremy with your food order?" the male voice yelled in from the hall.

Nick managed to yell out over his shoulder, "**LEAVE IT. LEAVE. IT. AT. THE**…." he couldn't finish his sentence. Being inside Jules felt too damn good to speak. He just couldn't stop the feeling she was giving him nor did he want to.

"Ohhh Baby, ohhhh, Babe…" he grunted as he jammed himself harder inside her.

He leaned down and sucked her nipple hard again and it was making her quiver underneath him. He pulled his mouth away and used his thumb to rub and stroke it as he kissed his way back up her neck and to her mouth all the while thrusting into her insanely. Their mouths came together again and Jules gripped the back of his hair forcefully.

"_**Um, do you want me to just leave it here in the hall?" **_the voice yelled into the room from behind the door.

At the same time, Jules and Nick both yelled with exasperation at the waiter, "**YESSSS!" **accidentally yelling into each others faces. They tried to resume their kiss but they both started laughing hard through there kisses. And still, it didn't stop them. Their passion was unstoppable as it always had been with them.

Nick could feel himself needing to unleash himself but he wanted to wait for her. He wanted to please her before himself. He leaned into her ear and whispered, "You own my heart, Baby, you have always had it…it will always be yours…"

The words coming from Nick's lips were ones Jules needed to hear. He knew exactly what she needed to hear him say…_his heart is hers and always will be. _

Jules began to moan loudly and call out his name. She wanted to tell him he had her heart too and tell him how much she loved him but all she could do was moan and yell out…

"Oooohhhh Nickkkk…Nickkkk….I am so….in …OH ohhh…..I love you…I'm cumming…Oh Nick…I'm cumming…Ohhh Nick, you make me feel so Ohhhhh" and she grabbed his shoulders and gripped them with all her might as her entire body shivered and quaked from the intensity of her orgasm.

She felt Nick's sweat under her fingertips and felt him pick up speed with each thrust. She heard him grunt as he slammed into her and groan with pleasure and she knew he had just been waiting for her to cum before he unleashed himself inside her.

She felt him explode with intensity and breathe heavy onto her neck. He panted into her ear how much she means to him just before he collapsed on top of her.

All that could be heard in Room 710 now was the sound of heavy breathing. Jules stroked Nick's hair and whispered to him.

"Nicky? Nick, you okay?" Jules softly laughed as he lay motionless on top of her.

"Never been better, Sunshine," he chuckled quietly into her neck.

Nick and Jules tried to get up to get their abandoned food, but they couldn't move. They could do nothing but lie entangled together. They were weak. Their fuse had been lit the minute Nick opened that door and they were literally incapacitated from their explosions.

"What made you come back?" Nick whispered with his face still buried into her neck and shoulder.

"You," she whispered as she rubbed his back and kissed his temple softly.

"I came back for you…"


	38. Tell It to My Heart

I don't own CSI. Rated T

**Will Jules decide she shouldn't have opened her heart back up to her husband? **

**To the man she is madly in love with? To the man who screwed around on her?**

**Will she decide to trust in him completely despite what the evidence says?**

**She has a decision to make...which will it be?**

**Ya gotta keep reading to find out!**

Thanks for the reviews! Love them!

Especially since my "Traffic" log isn't working and says ZERO readers. If I didn't have your reviews I would think no one liked my story and just quit.

But, I know from your reviews that there are people reading and that the Traffic log is wrong. Whew.

I check my emails constantly in hopes to find them! Notice how I can write more when I get them steadily? Thanks!

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She loved hearing his heavy breathing into the side of her neck. She loved how manly it sounded and she found it incredibly sexy. She felt his hand sliding up and down her side. He was enjoying touching her and feeling her skin under his hand. He finally moved his face out of the crook of her neck and stared down at her.

"You came back for me?" he smiled softly, "You have no idea how happy you just made me," he kissed her forehead gently.

"I have an idea actually," she smiled wide.

He laughed with her.

Nick leaned down to kiss her lips and she stopped him.

"Nick, wait, don't kiss me…," she whispered.

Nick felt the fear that she had changed her mind and he really thought he would lose it if she did that to him again. He couldn't stand it anymore, his heart couldn't take it.

But, Jules didn't say she changed her mind.

"Why? You don't want me to kiss you? Why?" he said nervously.

"Because I want you to hear me…I want you to listen to my words, and look me in the eyes as I say them…I want your heart to hear them too," she paused for his response and he nodded, listening carefully.

"**You **are it for me…I love you so, sooo much. When you were gone, I was drowning. But lying in your arms, right now, at this moment, I'm not drowning anymore, Nick… I can breathe again," she reached up and touched his cheek gently.

"I know you…I know the **real **you…I know the spirit inside you and I have met your soul. They collided years ago and you just can't pull them apart…**no one **can," she paused and took a deep breath.

"I came back because from the moment I met you I have wanted to spend the rest of my life with you…I **know **you are a good man. **You **are the man **I married**, the Nicholas Stokes I promised to love forever…I meant it then and I mean it now. If you tell me that you don't remember, **I believe you. I trust you**. And **I will stand by you**," she placed her forehead to his.

"Don't you get it, Nicky? You are my best friend…you are the one I want to run to with my stories, the one I want to tell my jokes to, who I want to share my body and soul with…You are my other half. Without you I am empty and I don't want to feel empty anymore…so yes, I came back for you…**for you**…because you are it for me," she smiled softly and tears welled in her eyes.

Nick was blindsided by her vulnerability and he could hear the honesty in her words. He could feel how much she meant it…her heart spoke to his and it listened carefully and understood.

Nick choked back his emotions and stroked back her hair away from her face.

"Honey, you just opened yourself up to me at a time when you have every right to shut down and shut me out…I know you and I know you just gave me your heart back and I promise you…I promise you," his voice tightened and cracked, "I won't ever let it go…I won't ever, ever let it go," his tears fell and he leaned down and placed his face into her neck again.

He needed to regroup before he could speak again because his emotions had gotten the best of him and he wanted to sob. Jules stroked his hair and kissed the side of his head. He pressed his face into her hair, breathed in it's scent, and found the strength to continue again. Nick took a minute and then propped himself over her to look her in the eyes.

"You are the best part of me and without you inside me…I am dead. I'm just empty. Baby, if it weren't for Emma breathing life into me, I would have died the moment you packed my bags. I just don't want…" he whispered but Jules stopped him.

She held his face in her hands and rubbed her nose gently against his.

"Nothing else matters, Nicky…you and me, we aren't like most people. We complete each other…when one of us is gone…we don't work…we're broken. I don't want to be broken anymore, Nick," she kissed his cheek and held her forehead to the side of his face.

Nick shook his head amazed at how close they were at that moment. He had dreamed of this every night since they separated. Jules put her head back down on the pillow and looked up into his deep, brown eyes. He looked back at her.

"Will you be able to forgive me? What if you can't ever totally forgive me?" his voice cracked again.

"Nick, I will stand by you and we will figure it all out. I believe you and I trust you," she smiled subtly and he leaned in and kissed her softly a few times before looking back at her.

"I want to find out the truth, Babe, I am not lying to you, I really don't know…" he began but Jules cut him off.

"No, no, let's not talk about that right now. At this moment, I want to just hold you and feel you and let our hearts talk… They've missed each other," she stoked his face.

Nick nodded.

"But, Texas?" she whispered.

"Mmmm hmmm," he mumbled as he began kissing her neck.

"If we had a blue light, how bad would this bedspread be?" she bit her lip to hold back the smirk.

Nick jerked his head back and his mouth fell open with pure disgust plastered across his face.

"**GET UP**! Awwww, man…get up!" he hopped off of her, stood at the end of the bed, and held out his hand. He kept shaking his head back and forth.

"I knew that would get you off me," she busted out with a loud laugh.

"Don't laugh, you have **NO **idea!" he said in his thick, southern drawl while pulling her upward off the bed.

"I know! But I don't think we were thinking about the bedspread at the time, ya know what I mean?" she said looking over at it. "Maybe since it's the Bellagio it wouldn't be bad?" she squished up her face wondering, "it's not like we're in the Lamplight Motel or something'."

"No, Baby, I think I've been through every hotel in Vegas with a blue light…just help me get this bedspread off, please," he said moving toward it, "Aw, why'd ya gotta say that to meeee?" he whined.

Jules couldn't help but laugh. She wasn't thrilled at the thought of what goes on beyond the naked eye, but his reaction was priceless.

"I'll do it, Cowboy, you go get us our food," she smirked.

Nick continued to shake his head as he threw on his boxers. Walking over to the door he opened it slowly and peeked his head out; when the coast was clear he scurried out, and pushed the cart into their room.

When he came back in the bedspread was off and on the floor. Clean, crisp, white sheets smiled at him and he smiled back.

"Ya wanna go to that little table? Or do you wanna eat in bed?" she asked.

Nick raised his eyebrow and gave a Stokes Smile.

"Hey, hey, **NOT THAT**!" she laughed, and she squealed loudly as he tackled her into his arms, and burying his face into her neck like he always loved to do.

"Cut it out, Texas, I'm hungry!" she laughed and smacked him away.

"All right, all right, and yes, let's eat in bed…but…" he paused and smirked at her.

"But?" she said squinting her eyes.

"But, now we have go to take a shower first!" he laughed, threw her over his shoulder and carried her off to the shower.

The two of them laughed hard all the way there. Just like they used to.


	39. Stay A Little Longer

Rated T - Don't own CSI.

**This is a fluffy little chapter that helps move the story in the direction I need it to go. **

**Nothing major, just what goes on as they enjoy each other's company. **

**Hope you still like it. * REVIEWS APPRECIATED ***

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The laughter coming from the bathroom in the Bellagio Hotel was loud and rambunctious. It was the kind of infectious laugh that made anyone who heard it laugh too. Nick had an adorable laugh but Jules, she had a loud, boisterous laugh that Nick loved more than anything. It always made him laugh harder just hearing her laughing.

"Knock it off, Darlin'! You're killing me," he laughed as he wrapped her in a towel.

Jules spun around and faced him, wrapping her arms completely around his body.

"We haven't laughed like this in a long time, huh, Handsome?" she smiled a bittersweet smile.

"I missed** it**…I missed **you**…I missed _**us**_," he whispered putting his forehead to hers.

Jules leaned up and kissed him deeply and he could feel the emotion behind it.

He ran his fingertips down her back and the towel fell to her waist. He could feel the goose bumps forming and he knew he was giving her the chills.

"If you keep touching me, we will never eat, ya know," she whispered and kissed his neck.

"I have no problem taking you back to that bed and making love to you until tomorrow, but if you really want to eat then by all…" Nick didn't finish because Jules' eyes grew wide and she threw her hand over her mouth.

"**LINDSAY**! Oh my God, Nicky, what time is it?" she said panicking.

"Hey, hey, relax, you've only been in here a couple hours," he pulled her back to his chest.

Jules pushed out of his arms and tore out of the bathroom to grab her cell phone on the nightstand.

"Ugh, it's almost 11:30, Texas! We've been in here longer than a couple hours," she raised her eyebrows.

"So, call her, see if she minds being there later," he smiled, "because after we eat I have to slip you under those fresh, clean sheets and have my way with you at least one more time tonight," he reached out, grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in as she had the cell phone to her ear.

"Hey, Linds, it's Jules, is everything okay?" she asked trying to wiggle from his arms.

"Yep, Emma's still asleep, she hasn't made a peep since you left and I checked on her twice," she told Jules. Jules felt happy that she looked in on her sleeping daughter twice already.

"What time did your mom want you home?" she asked biting her bottom lip as she waits for her answer.

Nick smiled at her as she spoke. He loved just watching her. He leaned in and began to kiss her naked shoulder.

"It doesn't matter. I'm just watching a movie so if you want to stay out longer it's cool with me because I'd really love to see the end so…trust me I don't mind," she told her.

"Oh, okay, if you don't mind I would like to come home a little later," she pushed Nick away and mouthed _'stopppp ittt' _to him.

He chuckled softly and walked to the bathroom.

He walked back out with a towel around his waist and another in his hand.

As she spoke, she watched Nick stand in the middle of the room with a towel around his waist and a chiseled chest glistening from remaining water drops. He didn't notice her watching him and she smiled as he used another towel to rub around his wet hair. She almost couldn't concentrate on Lindsay Willow's answer because she was finding him so enticing and sexy.

"Not a problem, I will call you if I need to go home or if I am tired or something," she said sweetly.

"Thanks Lindsay, you're the best!" she clicked her phone shut and threw it onto the bed.

So, you'll stay a little longer?" he smiled from ear to ear.

Jules didn't answer him. She just walked straight to him, reached her arms up and around his neck and planted a huge kiss on him. He wrapped his arms completely around her and kissed her back happily.

Forcing herself to pull away she walked over to the food cart and opened the lids.

"Glad I got the turkey club! Yours is cold now!" she chuckled, "You can have half of mine, if you want it," she nodded and walked over to the small table and put her dish down on it.

Nick walked up behind her and grabbed her plate and put it back on the cart.

"**HEY**! What are you doing?" she complained.

"We are going to eat in bed, no?" he said wheeling the cart next to the bed. "We can sprawl out better. I want you in my arms, Darlin'… for as long as I can tonight," he explained.

Jules nodded, "Oh, Handsome, I have missed being in your arms more than you know!" she said as she fixed her towel tighter around her.

Nick laughed.

"What are you laughing at?" she furrowed her brow unsure.

"You tightening that towel up over there," he smirked.

"What? It was loosening," she didn't get it what he was saying.

Nick laughed devilishly.

"You just might as well leave it on the chair, Baby," he winked.

"Ohhhh, you dirty, dirty man," she laughed as she realized where he was going with his comment.

Nick held out his hand and she placed her hand in his. He walked her over to the bed and together they crawled into it. Nick propped up the pillows and rested his back against them. Jules crawled in and sat between his legs and leaned her back on his chest. Nick moved her hair to the side and kissed her neck.

"Texas, eat!" she yelled and leaned up and grabbed her plate.

"I was hoping you'd say that," he chuckled and sucked her neck harder.

"YOUR FOOD," she insisted.

He leaned over and grabbed the cold burger off the plate, leaving the dish behind. He took a bite and while it was cold and far from delicious, but he was starving and it would be just fine.

Jules pulled a piece of bacon from her sandwich and held it up, leaning it back to his him. Nick leaned forward and took it from her with his mouth.

She turned to look at him.

"Good?" she smiled.

"Very good, Sunshine," and he took another bite of his burger.

* * *

With nothing but crumbs and leafy garnish left on their plates, Jules snuggled down deep into Nicks arms perfectly.

"We, um, we didn't get much talking done as planned, huh?" he smiled and kissed her shoulder.

"I should've known better than to think I could be left alone with you," she smirked and leaned the back of her head on his shoulder.

"I can't come home yet, can I?" he whispered as he had his lips resting on her shoulder.

"I don't think that would be a good idea, do you?" she looked over at him. "I mean, I like the idea of you back in my bed, back in our lives, but I am just saying we need to clear this whole Brooke thing up first. Make an honest man out of you first, ya know what I mean?" she gave him a grimaced smile as if to say sorry.

"You afraid of Warrick?" he furrowed his brow.

"No, I'm not afraid him **or **Trista," she turned her body more toward him, "I'm not afraid, but I totally get how they will feel if you come strolling back in, without any proof to your innocence but only my faith in you…" she closed her eyes thinking about it.

"You don't understand, Nick, Warrick held me in his arms as I sobbed after talking to Brooke," she looked down sadly, "Trista took Emma for me when I cried for two days straight and couldn't get out of bed when I told you I wanted out of our marriage. They helped pick up the pieces...the pieces of me that were shattered."

"I do, I do understand, and I am so sorry this is all happening," he stroked her hair, "I'm sorry for this whole mess," he told her and stroked some hair away from her face.

"My brother and Trista were my rocks through this and they made sure they were there for Emma constantly. I knew Warrick was coming over every morning just to make sure I was okay and that Emma had a father figure around. Warrick knows how to stand up to the plate…he always has for me…since the beginning," she sighed, " And I don't want to have him doubt you either. I want your name to be cleared. I don't want Trista to look at you and think you are such a conniving asshole that weaseled and lied your way back into our home. No, I don't want that," she rested her head into his shoulder blade.

"I don't want that either. But I want to still be close to you! I need my family back" he pressed his face into her hair inhaling her as much as he could. "But I also need for this to all be fixed. And if I know I have your faith in me...if I know you are by my side, I know we can get to the bottom of this. We need to find out who would splash those pictures on your FaceBook, who mailed them, who took them...these are all questions we don't have answers to."

"I agree with you. I have spent so much time hurting and crying that I never thought about **WHO **did that to me..." she squinted up at him.

"I want my name cleared too. I don't believe what those pictures show. You are the only one in my life that I could ever be with...I hope you know that," he stroked her arm with his fingertips, "But...but I can't stand not being with you and Em."

"You stay here instead of Greg's couch. You don't want to hang out on his couch this long anyway, give the guy his place back. I will meet you…every day if I have to. And You will come see Em…we can do this without having to upset anyone who cares so much about me. They are only looking out for me and it would look like I am just spitting in their faces. I really understand how it looks, I do," she looked up at him. "Once we figure this all out, we can let them know you are the stand-up man I know you are," she looked up at him and he leaned over and kissed her softly.

"I love you, Sunshine, you know that?" he whispered in between his kisses, "I will never, ever forget how you are believing in me despite the evidence. That takes a lot and don't think I don't know that," he hugged her tighter as he spoke.

"It does…I gotta say, it does, but you looked me in the eyes and told me something is way wrong and that Brooke was not telling you something…I trust you and I trust your instincts. You haven't lied to me yet, Nick, even when it would have saved your ass…you wouldn't lie to me," she reached over and grabbed his hand and brought it over her heart, "I gave this to you a long time ago and I don't accept returns," she smiled.

Nick scooted down a little and maneuvered himself to his side; he propped his head up with his hand and stared at her. Jules rolled to her side to look back at him.

And for the next few minutes they just stared at each other and occasionally touched each others face. But no words were spoken because their silence let their souls embrace again.

Every part of them missed each other…right down to their souls.


	40. Like To Watch

**I don't own CSI.**

**Rated M: WARNING SMUT...DIRTY, FUN, SMUT ~ **

**I made you wait a little for an update, but it's your own fault because I haven't gotten many new reviewers & I roll better with encouragement!**

**But, because of the faithful reviewers, I made this chapter mighty long and filled with Nick Stokes love.**

**This chapter takes place in the Bellagio Hotel. **

**Nick has been there for a few days and Jules makes sure he's not alone at night.**

**Her meeting him there secretly may go unnoticed by her brother and friends but...**

**Some people notice everything.**

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Lindsay Willows was able to babysit for Jules for the next two nights, but told Jules she wouldn't be able to on Friday. Jules had to decide what she would do for tomorrow night. She had to figure out something because there was no way she would go without seeing Nick. She had spent too long without that man and she absolutely loved meeting him in the Bellagio hotel room every chance she got. She knew she would have to figure out something, and sadly, that might mean lying to her brother.

As she thought about it, she realized Nick's breathing was getting heavy and she could feel his chest rise and fall steadily under her cheek. She didn't have to look up at him, she knew he was asleep.

"_Aww my poor, Nicky, he is so tired out_," she thought silently.

She tucked some hair behind her ear before stroking her finger down his shoulder, feeling his warm skin under her fingertip.

"_My God I love this man_," she whispered and she thanked her Grams for telling her it was safe to love him again.

She leaned over and looked at the clock on the end table. She really needed to get home.

Jules slipped out of the bed as delicately as she could. She had to get home to their daughter. She knew Nick had wanted to make love again before she left but she just didn't want to wake him and she needed to get home at a somewhat decent hour.

She grabbed her clothes and put them on quietly and looked around for the hotel stationery. She found some Bellagio paper and a pen and wrote Nick a note.

_**I didn't leave because I wanted to; I left because I had to. Otherwise, I would stay in your arms forever. **_

_**Get your rest, Handsome, because I plan to be back soon…and I want to get back into your arms as soon as I walk through the door.**_

_**I love you,**_

_**Jules**_

Nick didn't get that note until morning. He had slept the whole night through. It had been the best sleep he had had in over 4 weeks. As he was coming out of his slumber he reached over for Jules but found her gone. He knew she had to go, but his arm always went looking for her. Nick stayed in bed staring at the ceiling while silently thanking God for bringing her back to him.

* * *

It was windy outside, she could tell by the way the remnants of newspaper, napkins, and litter blew frantically around on the sidewalk. The wind must have just picked up because it was not that windy when she walked in an hour ago. Jolene sat on the big, velvet, couch in the lobby and silently watched the litter dance together with the wind before suddenly seeing Jules out of the corner of her eye. She looked over at her and watched her walk in and just the sight of her made her angry. _"Look at her with that sickening smile, sneaking around to meet that loser. You're pathetic! And you let that asshole sleep night after night in the best hotel even though you believe he is a cheating bastard? You idiot! _she grumbled jealously_, "What? Ya too good for the Lamp Light Motel? Bitch."_

Jolene looked at her watch. It was the third day in a row that Jules came through the Bellagio lobby at this exact same time. Her eyes followed her all the way to the elevator. She watched her get on to it and vanish from her sight.

Jolene Parker made a point to hang around the Bellagio lobby to see when Jules would make her appearance. Jolene knew that that kind of information would be worth a lot…**A LOT**…of money. It was worth it to spend her days there. Jolene had been there three days, and each day Jules strolled in around 8:00 pm and left sometime after 11:00 pm. When Tonya had spotted them the day before she told Jimmy that same time frame. Twice, Jo stayed a little longer, and she saw Nick leave the hotel dressed and ready to go be a CSI, so she was positive it was Nick Stokes Jules was going to see.

Yesterday Jolene followed her. Jules looked right at her and smiled but never knew she was being followed or who Jolene even was. _"Dumb bitch doesn't even know I am her mother," _she grumbled silently and rolled her eyes.

Jolene watched Jules knock on the door of Room 710. She watched as an arm came out of the room and hooked her around the waist pulling her in. Jolene could tell they were kissing before the door even closed.

She couldn't wait to tell Jimmy Cole the exact room number. Armed with the information, she would bring it to Cole the next day. And just as she predicted, she had an extra three grand waiting for her by Friday. _"Nothing like getting a thousand dollars a day just for hanging out in the Bellagio," _she had smiled inwardly.

She would later contact Brook Latham and let her know what has been going on.

"Brooke? Doll, you need to step up your game," Jolene said to her calmly when Brooke answered her cell phone.

"I know, I know, can you just give me some time. I don't even know how to get him back here," she whined.

"Okay, Doll, I am gonna help ya out because I like ya, so consider this a gift. Don't wait for him or try to get him back to Texas, what you are gonna do is hop the next plane and get your ass **HERE **to Vegas. I have some information you could use and I don't know how long it will be valid so get your fucking ass on the next flight out. And Cole ain't paying for it, Honey, so you better get a good deal," she laughed.

* * *

Jules had made up a story about meeting Warrick for dinner before his shift and asked Trista if she could watch Emma.

Trista said it would be no problem since she had no plans, and didn't feel like going out dancing since she had gone out the night before for Ladies Night. Jules had never been so grateful for Ladies Night and breathed a sigh of relief.

Trista arrived earlier than planned but still just minutes after Emma had fallen asleep.

"Aww,man, I missed getting to hang with my girl?" Trista whined when she learned that the toddler was asleep for the night.

"Yeah, but I got all your favorite foods in my fridge and cabinets so you shouldn't have it too bad," Jules laughed. "Thanks again for hanging here."

"Eh, no problem, I got my Netflix DVD today and was just gonna stay home and watch it, so I brought it along and I'll watch it here," she shrugged. "And you got better food than I do so even better," she grinned.

"Good, um, uh, Warrick won't be starting his shift until around midnight so I'll hang with him until about 11:00 or so...then I'll be home," she lied through her teeth and hated every minute of it but she felt she had no choice. Lying to her made her literally feel sick in her stomach.

But it still wasn't as bad as how sick her stomach felt earlier in the day, when she "just happened" to mention to Warrick that she would be out with Trista tonight and Brett would be watching Tiny.

"Oh yeah? Well stay out of trouble...you never know what that crazy nut will get into," he said about Trista.

"Oh stop! Why you always trashing her...and anyway we're just going to have some time alone. Why don't you come by and keep Brett company?" she teased knowing that would seal the deal that he wouldn't be stopping by.

"Yeah, uh, no thanks," he scrunched his face up, "He talks fashion - I talk sports...and anyway, I'm working tonight," he said.

* * *

Nick folded his pants in half and slung them over the back of the chair neatly. He walked to the bathroom in his gray boxer briefs and stood in front of the mirror. His blue shirt was unbuttoned and hanging open. He was brushing his teeth when he heard the knock at the door of his hotel room. He began smiling before he even answered it. Wiping his mouth on a towel, Nick walked straight for the door.

"Hey, Baby," he said as he opened the door and saw her standing there.

"Hey, Handsome," she smiled back.

"I was hoping you'd come visit," he said and reached out and hooked his arm around her waist and pulled her into him.

He kissed her hard and passionately. He was truly happy to see her. Jules laughed into his mouth as he kissed her and the door slammed shut behind them.

Once she was able to pull away she touched the side of his face and smiled, "I told you I would."

He leaned into her neck and whispered closely to her ear, "I've been counting the hours, Sunshine, countin' um."

His breath had a peppermint coolness on her neck and it gave her a chills down her spine.

"You're not the only one who can count, Cowboy," she raised her eyebrow and smiled seductively as she held onto the sides of his open shirt.

"Oooh, c'mere," he said in his southern drawl and pulled her into his chest.

"Uh, uh, uh," she waved her finger at him telling him no.

"What?" he wondered aloud.

"I got you a present," she bit her bottom lip to hold in her smile.

"Me? What?" he gave her a curious look.

Jules smiled devilishly and took a step back from him.

"What are you up too, Baby?" he looked at her sideways and squinted his eyes.

Jules walked toward the nightstand, grabbed the clicker and put on the television. Finding the music channel quickly she flipped past a few songs before smiling wide when she heard the perfect song to go with what she planned to do to her handsome lover.

Fergie's "Clumsy" was just beginning so she raised the volume a bit before placing the clicker back on the nightstand.

She walked over to him keeping her steps with the beat. Nick grinned wide and shook his head chuckling. Nick reached for her but she shook her head at him and took a few steps back.

She began to slowly unbutton her blouse revealing a sexy black lace bra. Nick raised his eyebrows and silently watched, following her every move with his eyes.

Jules let the shirt fall off her shoulders and let it stay on her arms and drape across the small of her back. She shook her bra covered breasts at him to the beat and he looked up at the ceiling and breathed out loudly. Jules kept her eyes on him as she slowly pulled her one sleeve off her arm slowly and then did the same to the other. She threw her shirt at him and he caught it with one hand and brought it to his nose and could smell her perfume. It was making him crazy.

Jules unbuttoned her tiny little jean shorts and unzipped them ever so slowly. She began to wiggled out of them, exaggerating her movements, and revealing a matching black lace thong that was held together on each sides by nothing but black satin ribbons tied in a bow.

Nick watched the shorts slither to the floor and pool at her feet. He swallowed hard and he scanned her up and down lustfully. He began to move toward her again, he wanted her bad, but she shook her head at hi,. He gave her a sideways smile and raised an eyebrow as if to beg, but she turned her back to him, and then bent over obnoxiously to pick up her shorts off the floor. Nick jerked his head back and took another deep breath as he watched her bend over. Still moving to the music she threw her shorts across the room where they landed on the lovely beige chair by the small table. She turned back to him, slightly laughed and bit her bottom lip. He smiled back at her; his white teeth glistening back at her.

"WOW. Wow. **Wwwowww**…" he kept saying over and over. You look _**amazzzzzzing**_" he told her as he gave a whooshing sound.

Standing in her sexy lace bra and thong panties, Jules raised her hands above her head and swayed her hips in time with the music and moved around in a small circle. She moved her hips at him better than a hula dancer could. She had him worked up and she knew it.

He walked closer to her like a lion ready to pounce.

"Uh, uh, uh," she waved her finger at him once again.

Nick ran his hand over his face; he thought he might be sweating…he quickly realized he wasn't, but his palms were.

Jules rubbed her hands over her body before turning her back to him again. She looked over her shoulder at him. He leaned back on the dresser, crossed his arms in front of him and watched her intently. She winked at him and he shook his head, looked down and laughing quietly. His smile was ear to ear. She kicked off her sandals and stepped up onto the bench at the end of the bed; Nick's eyes followed her. She faced him again and wiggled herself to the music like she was an experienced stripper.

She continued to move her hips to the lyrics:

_**You got me trippin oh, stumbling oh, **_

_**flippin oh, fumbling ohClumsy cuz I'm fallin in love**_

_**You got me slippin oh, tumbling oh, **_

_**sinking oh, fumbling oh**_

_**Clumsy cuz I'm fallin in love, in love**_

_**So in love with you**_

Nick Stokes was out of his mind with lust. He watched her and she watched him. She could see the enormous bulge protruding from his boxer briefs and she almost laughed but kept her expressions seductive instead. She knew she was doing her job well.

Jules turned around and moved from the bench to the bed, which was now her new stage. She dropped to her knees and crawled seductively to the top of the bed.

Nick breathed in heavily again and blew out the air slowly as he watched her nearly naked ass crawling away from him enticingly.

Once she arrived at the top of the bed she turned around and stood up on her knees just as the chorus blared:

_**Can't help it**_

_**The girl can't help it oh baby**_

_**Can't help it**_

_**The girl can't help it oh baby**_

_**Can't help it**_

_**The girl can't help it oh baby**_

_**Can't help it**_

_**So in love with you**_

Pushing her bra strap down off her shoulder she licked her lips and stared directly at his eyes. He stared back and he could feel his heart beating out of his chest. She was turning him on and teasing him so intensely that he felt like he needed to be physically held back from attacking and ravishing her right there and then.

Jules knew the song was coming to an end and hoped she wouldn't have to look around to find another good song for a strip tease because it would surely ruin her dance. She couldn't be happier when Beyonce's Naughty Girl came on…she hadn't heard it in awhile and the timing couldn't have been better. It made her get into it even more than she already had been.

Nick started to rub his palm over his mouth and breath in heavily as he watched her slink her bra off and swing it above her head before whipping it at him. He caught it, held it up, looked at it dangling from his fingers before tossing it over his shoulder on to the dresser so he could continue to watch the show.

Still no words were spoken between them. Instead, Jules grinded her hips around as she began to untie one side of her panties by pulling the ribbon slowly while staring at him. She gave him a side smile and nodded slowly in agreement with what the lyrics were telling him:

_**Baby the minute i feel your energy **_

_**The vibe's just taken over me **_

_**Start feelin so crazy babe **_

_**Lately, I feel the funk coming over me **_

_**I don't know what's gotten into me **_

_**The rhythm's got me feelin so crazy babe **_

_**Tonight i'll be your naughty girl**_

_**I'm callin all my girls**_

_**We're gonna turn this party out**_

_**I know you want my body**_

_**Tonight i'll be your naughty girl**_

_**I'm callin all my girls**_

_**I see you look me up and down**_

_**And i came to party**_

Nick could no longer stand it. He pushed himself off the side of the dresser he was leaning on. He had to have her. His hard-on was begging to be unleashed and she was teasing the hell out of him.

"C'mere, Naughty Girl…," he said walking to the bed.

Jules moved away, still gyrating, and began pulling the other ribbon making the panties fall off completely. She now stood naked in front of him and Nick was eye level with her neatly shaven pussy.

"Ohhhh, oh, oh, you have got to come here **NOW**," he ordered her motioning her forward with two fingers.

"You gonna make me CSI Stokes? You gonna have me arrested or just teach me a lesson all on your own?" she blew him a kiss seductively.

Nick leaned in and swatted at her to try to grab her but she jumped back away.

"Come and get me, Cowboy," she said as a new song began to play. Jules wasn't paying attention anymore because from the looks of things, her strip tease had just come to a halt. Nick couldn't handle it anymore; she had brought him to his breaking point. He wanted her so bad he could taste it.

"Oh, Baby, when I get my hands on you, you're gonna beg me to stop," he laughed and reached for her again, "I'm gonna make you scream; I can promise ya that!"

Jules jumped away from him again. "Is that all you got, Stokes?" she teased.

Nick ripped off his blue shirt that had still been on and hanging open and threw it across the room. Standing now in only gray boxer briefs, he began to lean on to the bed. He put one knee on the bed and watched to see which way she would dart to…he was ready to attack and he didn't plan on missing again.

Jules watched him. She knew he was determined to get his paws on her and their little game of cat and mouse was turning her on too.

Jules went to all fours thinking it would give her cat like precision to scramble away. She realized quickly that instead it just made her a bigger target. But still, she did have one last trick up her sleeve.

Nick crawled up onto the bed and headed straight for her.

Jules put her finger to her mouth and purred, "Um, excuse me, CSI Stokes? I seemed to have lost my purse…I dropped it down here…can you help me find it?"

With that, Jules turned herself around, and while still on her knees, she bent over the other side of the bed pretending to look on the floor. She pushed her ass up high giving him a complete, uncensored, view of her ass and pussy. He found them both completely delectable; he wanted her so bad and he was going to get her.

"Ya lost your purse, Sweetheart? Sorry to hear that…But I do believe it was a stolen purse," he said as he grabbed her by her ankles and, as she fell to her belly, he yanked her to him.

Jules squealed and yelled, "Assault! A Las Vegas CSI is assaulting me!" she laughed.

"Assault? Ya call that assault? No, Honey, **THIS **is assault!" Nick laughed and pulled her closer as he straddled over her, reached into his underwear, grabbed his hardened cock and positioned himself to take her from behind as she lay face down on the bed.

"I'll file a complaint!" she screeched while laughing loudly.

Nick leaned over her, his chest just brushing over her back and moved his lips to her ear.

"I have a feeling you won't be complaining!" he whispered in a sexy, raspy, southern drawl while spreading her legs apart with his knees.

Once her legs were spread to where he wanted them, he slid his briefs down the rest of the way, and let them fall to his knees.

Without another word, Nick pushed himself inside her and he heard Jules suck in air from the sensation.

She gasped loudly, "But, what are the charges, CSI Stokes?" was all she could whimper out.

"Uh, solicitation? Lewd conduct? I don't know…Ya just teased me senseless," he chuckled and thrust himself inside of her harder.

Jules moaned loudly from the feeling of him inside her.

Hearing her moan made him push himself inside her deeper and deeper. He propped himself up with his arms on either side of her and he felt Jules' walls squeeze around his shaft causing him to quickened his pace and pound her faster and harder. She had worked him up so much with her strip tease, that he was desperate to take her and felt a wild urgency to cum. But, as much as he wanted to unleash himself inside her, he wanted her to cum right along with him.

Jules buried her face into the mattress and grabbed the sheets in her fists as he rammed into her pussy giving it to her roughly. Nick's hands grabbed onto her hips and he pulled Jules up so he could get her on all fours again.

Jules arms shook as she held herself up from the intensity of his thrusts. She continued to grip the sheets as she pushed herself back into him hard so she could feel him go deeper inside her. Nick groaned when he felt her completely on his cock.

He wrapped his arm up across her chest and pulled her up to a kneeling position.

He slowed his pace, pressed his chest against her bare back, and whispered in her ear, "You are so fucking sexy…ya drove me crazy, Baby, absolutely crazzzzzy!" he slowed himself to a standstill and let his hard cock stay inside her without moving. "Ya want me to slam inside you again, don't ya?" he whispered in his southern drawl and he began to rub circles around the tips of her nipples.

Jules could only nod, reach behind her and grab his sides.

"Tell me ya want me to jam my cock inside you again, Baby," he whispered next to her ear.

Jules felt chills run down her neck.

"Don't stop, Texas, don't stop!" she said with her voice winded.

"Ya sure now, Baby?" he panted out a chuckle.

"**NICK**!" she yelled at him impatiently knowing he was teasing her now instead of the other way around.

Nick began slowly and steadily building back into a quicker rhythm. He continued to hold her hip with one hand and let the other slide down to her soaking wet pussy. He began to rub her clit as he moved in and out of her harder and faster. Jules began to moan louder and louder and she begged him not to stop. Her moans turned into screams of ecstasy as she felt him pounding her hard and stroking her clit as he moved.

Nick loved her moaning and cries; he loved how he could make her lose control and yell out. The louder she got the harder he hammered her. She made him feel confident in how much he pleased her.

He knew they were both out of control and she was getting crazy loud, so he bent her by her waist back over and pushed her head down into the mattress to muffle her screams. He grabbed onto her hips roughly with both hands and pound into her wildly.

When Nick heard Jules begging for him loudly into the mattress, he grunted loudly himself and felt himself shoot his load inside her with such force her body vibrated from the sensation. Nick felt her cum hard on him at the same time and her body shivered and quaked, leaving them both weak.

Nick literally collapsed on top of her without pulling out of her…he was not ready to leave the warmth of her throbbing pussy. He loved being inside her for as long as he possibly could.

The two of them were soaked with sweat. They were hot and damp and they could smell the scent of pure sex pouring off them. It was hot between them and they knew they had just fucked like wild animals.

Neither of them moved or spoke for quite some time…and that was fine by them.


	41. Hand to Mouth

**I do not own CSI.**

**Rated M - Little Bit of SMUT for ya**

**Maybe CSI stands for "Can't Stop It" for Nick Stokes because he just never can get enough of his wife.**

**Nick and Jules are at it again but not before they discuss real life issues that are true to life.**

**Just makin' it real for ya. **

**Hope it's not too boring to listen to some of their conversations.**

**Review for me and maybe I will write better...I'm slowing down and losing steam.**

**Thanks to Detzer & Nicky Fan for giving me long reviews that pump me up...and to the others who are diligent too - Ash, Pisces, you all know who you are!**

**REVIEW READERS...I SEE YOU READING MY STORY! PLEEEASSSE?  
**

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As they lay in each other's arms under the crisp, cool sheets, Nick stared downward at her. He never could understand how she could be so fucking sexy and yet so angelically adorable. He loved it. He loved everything about her; he knew it, but he couldn't help it. He even loved the way she was draped over him right now.

Nick took a deep breath as he watched her lie entwined with him. He wanted to be able to do this everyday at home, but he had to admit there was something very intriguing and fun about their secret meetings, not to mention being able to make love for hours without worrying about the world around them. It was incredibly romantic, sexy, fun, and he loved it. And still, he longed to be home.

"Babe?" he said as he played with a lock of her hair.

Jules rested her chin on his chest and looked up at him.

"What, Handsome?" she whispered her voice still raspy from her screams and groans that Nick caused.

"I know it's too soon for me to come waltzing back into the house like all is fine but…I have been here since Tuesday, and well, tomorrow is Saturday and do you realize that the price of this place jumps to over $500? I'm just saying this little idea of yours, of me staying **here **at **this **hotel, will be costing us a fortune. I do **not **want to see that credit card bill, Darlin'," he said and kissed the top of her head.

It was true, they were living a dream, making love for hours every day in the comfort of the Bellagio like they were King and Queen. Jules pondered for a minute what they should do about it.

"You don't really want to move your stuff out of here, do you?" she said as she traced her finger down his muscular chest.

"Aw, I don't care about that. I just hate spending the kind of money we're spending just for me to sleep in luxury," he gave her a insecure look.

"Look, it is what it is, the price drops back down during the week…be thankful we got it to spend, who cares. Think of it as our secret vacation," she smiled but saw he was feeling guilty.

"Nick, listen to me, I mean this…as long as we're together I don't care about money…let them have it all. All I care about is being with you…in your arms…and making love to you for hours, which is truly incredible I might add," she smirked, "I don't care if we spend every last dime, Cowboy, we made it back to each other. We are still here…you and me. **That **is the only thing that matters to me in this world. You, Em, our family and friends…**nothing **else is important to me."

"I can go to a different hotel, Sunshine, it's not a big deal," he said with shame, feeling like he didn't deserve this treatment after everything that has happened.

"Nick?" she said softly as she propped herself up onto his chest to look him in the eyes.

"Yeah?" he answered while still twirling a lock of hair between his fingers.

"Just stop talking and show me again how much you love me…show me again why you and me being in a beautiful hotel like this is worth every penny," she smirked.

Nick reached up and wrapped his hand around the back of her neck pulling her face to his. His lips grazed hers and he pulled them away and then back again teasing her. Jules crawled on top of him completely and rubbed herself back and forth on him teasing him back. Nick quickly became stiff and hard as she rubbed herself over him. He could feel her wetness and it was making him crazy all over again. He instantly flipped her onto her back. She didn't even expect it and she laughed at how fast he maneuvered her.

Nick climbed on top of her and pushed himself inside as he stared directly into her eyes. Propping himself over her he began to move inside her passionately and smiled down at her with his beautiful smile.

"Is this what you were looking for, Baby? You need me to show you how much I love you?" he laughed softly. "Or is it that you just can't get enough of **ME**" he smirked.

"Ooooh Nicky, you are arrogant about how good you are in bed, aren't ya! You are one cocky sex maniac, you know that right?" she closed her eyes from the pleasure he was giving her yet again and pushed her head back farther into the pillow.

"What's that, Sweetheart? Did you just say you want me to give you my cock like a maniac?" he grinned, "All right, if you say so," he laughed and pushed into her harder.

The sensation was incredible. Both of them were secretly shocked by how much sex the two of them could have and not be banged up from it for days afterward. But, instead they welcomed each other…no they craved each other.

Nick buried his face in her hair and she heard him groan in her ear as he thrust hard and deep. Jules couldn't help it, she began to moan and gasp, and grip her fingers into his shoulder blades. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he slid one hand under her ass and pushed her toward him in order to jam himself deeper into her. Jules began to gasp and beg as she felt the intense orgasm approaching already.

Nick knew she was going to explode, he could feel it from her wetness, he could feel it from the tensing of her body, he knew she was going to cum and she was going to cum hard once again. He also knew she might just wake the entire 7th floor like she almost did earlier, so he slid his hand up and covered her mouth with his palm just as she let out a scream of pleasure. She continued to scream in gasps of ecstasy as Nick continued to pound into her forcefully. His legs were a little sore from their last escapade but he didn't care, and it didn't stop him or slow him down in the least. His hand muffled her cries of pleasure and he felt her walls clamp down on his cock wickedly hard. The feeling of his cock being sucked in made him groan loudly himself and he came inside her just as quickly.

Nick had to leave his hand over Jules' mouth even after he came because her moans still wouldn't subside. Finally, when he knew she could compose herself, he let his hand drag down to the side of her face. He stroked her skin as his hand slid down.

"I seriously cannot feel my legs," she joked. "I don't think it's normal how much pleasure we get from each other. I swear I am gonna walk out of here like I have been in a rodeo," she laughed.

"Damn, Baby, you just had another intense orgasm, didn't you," he smiled arrogantly, "Does that mean you are getting your money's worth? Am I worth every penny?"

"Texas, you just rocked me into next week again…I'd say we're all paid up for at _least _another week," she laughed.

Nick laughed into her neck even though it was sad he wouldn't be coming home soon.

"Hey, and ya know what?" she said.

"What?" he said rolling off her and onto his back.

"Perfect timing with the hand over my mouth thing," she smirked, "because if you hadn't done that when you did, I swear we wouldn't have to worry about racking up a huge bill…"

"No? Why's that?" he said in his southern accent.

"Because they would have **thrown **us out tonight for disturbing the entire hotel," she laughed.

Nick smiled wide, and ran his fingers across her stomach.

He was impressed by his stamina.

He loved feeling so wanted.

"All I gotta say is, Nick Stokes, you really are a machine!" she laughed and laid her body halfway across his chest.


	42. No Idea

Guess what? I don't own CSI...shocker, I know.

Rated T for language...

**This is just a short chapter that shows how Warrick feels about Nick, his sister and the whole situation at hand. **

**Catherine is there to lend an ear. **

**She tried to help Warrick understand Jules' feelings **

**and let's Warrick know she too thinks what Nick did is horrible.**

**Read on. **

**Keep in mind that my story is stalling...start reviewing to keep me going! **

**Good reviews...long reviews...thoughts on the characters...story direction...whatever, just review! PLEASE!**

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As Warrick pulled into the parking lot of the LVPD Crime Lab he looked over at Catherine. The two of them were in a deep conversation and he wasn't sure if she understood him or if she felt sympathy for Nick instead. What she thought was important to him and he wanted her to know that, but at the same time, he coldn't help feeling the way he did about Nick and what he had done to his family.

"What do you want me to say, Cath? The guy turned into a douche bag. I don't know why or how, but he is an absolute douche bag, and I hate fucking working with him," he said making a quick left into his parking space.

"That douche bag…uh, are you referring to your best friend? Your brother in law? Or would that be the CSI on our team?" she said sarcastically knowing the answer.

"Yes, that would be the douche bag I am referring to," he looked at her and rolled his eyes a bit. "Look, I am doing my best to stay out of it. I haven't kicked the shit out of him; I would say that is huge progress and showing a great deal of restraint!" he raised his eyebrows and nodded at her positively.

"Yeah, yeah, that is definitely true," she said nodding back at him and placing her hand on his arm.

"Warrick, I feel for you, I really, really do. It's not easy for either one of you, but I can actually understand where **you **are coming from a whole lot better than I can understand Nick," she explained her position. "I'm sorry, but Nick did this to himself! And, I gotta tell ya, I am really shocked at him. Really, really shocked. I don't care how drunk you get…you don't fuck around with another woman! You just don't!" she shook her head adamantly, "Trust me, I know how that feels from when I was married to Eddie for too long!"

"Yea, and I don't know how to help her, Catherine," he sad sadly, shaking his head slowly, "I really don't. I am afraid I will say the wrong thing and make her cry or get upset," he looked over at her. "And, lately she acts like she is all happy. Like she is okay suddenly! I know it's just a front. She puts up this front to show me that she is strong but Tiny told me…"

"Emma?" Catherine turned surprised. "What did _**she **_tell you?"

Warrick sighed loudly, "Emma told me last week, '_My Mommy cries at nigh_t' and I swear to God I thought I would die when she said it. My sister rarely lets me see her cry! The last time she cried to me was when that bombshell hit...other than that, she puts on a smile now and acts calm and in control. My little niece knows her mommy cries but Jules won't tell me? That's crazy!"

"Oh come on, Warrick, I can tell you right now, without a shadow of a doubt, that Jules has _**NO **_idea Emma knows she cries at night. **NONE**. Trust me…been there and done that too. It wasn't until Lindsay came in and hugged me one night that I realized she knew. Kids are funny that way, Rick," she said looking at him as they remained parked in the lot.

"She doesn't have to hide her tears from me, Cath," he said shaking his head.

"I know, I know, but she is afraid," Catherine touched his arm again.

"_**AFRAID**_? Afraid of what? **ME**?" he jerked his head back in disbelief.

"Well, afraid to show you how bad she hurts…mainly because she is afraid if she shows the hurt it will allow it to come out and once it's out, it's hard to stuff back in," Catherine looked away a minute remembering how badly it hurt her.

"And she is afraid that you will hurt **for **her. Afraid you will go after Nick. Afraid of looking like a fool…" she said staring off again remembering how foolish she felt when she learned about her ex-husband and his infidelities.

"But, Warrick, she does need you to accept how she handles this. Just stand by her. I understand where you are coming from. I do. You are handling it very well," she smiled at him. "And I think by her getting out and getting breathing room really IS helping her. I think she is smart to go out with her friends. It's good to get out…even if she just drives around by herself, ya know?" she nodded assuredly.

Catherine was referring to Lindsay watching Emma while Jules "goes out." She had no idea that Jules has been meeting Nick. She had no idea that she shouldn't be saying anything to an already upset Warrick. Thankfully, though, Warrick didn't realize or catch on to what she was talking about. He was just glad Catherine didn't think he was wrong.

"Well thanks, I am glad to know that you don't think I am just meddling in their marriage," he nodded and smiled at his friend.

"No, no, you absolutely haven't! You haven't done anything resembling that!" she paused before looking back over at him, "I am just so happy Grissom is wise enough to keep you two apart as best he can," she smiled.

Both CSI's get out of the truck and walk toward the Crime Lab.

"What are you gonna do when Nick is here? You guys will have to have the same shift eventually," Catherine points out. "You gonna be okay?"

"Yep…gotta be, right?" he scoffed… "I gotta be."


	43. CatchUp

I do not nor have I ever owned CSI.

Rated T or M depending on how you feel about dirty language.

**Oh what a tangled web we weave...**

**Warrick and Trista think she is on a path to disaster if Jules acts on her love for Nick.**

**They try hard to keep her strong and have picked up the pieces when Nick shattered her.**

**They mean well but...**

**Jules and Nick can't stay away from each other. **

**Nothing like a little review to motivate me! Thanks! ;o)  
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She looked inside the top drawer of the dresser and grabbed a Dallas Mavericks T-shirt and slipped it over her naked body. Jules scrambled back onto the bed where Nick lay propped up on pillows with only his lower half covered by the white sheets. She sat facing him, sitting cross legged on the top of the sheet, in between his legs. Her eyes scanned his chest and shoulders.

"You look sexy lying like that on the bed, " she said to Nick as she opened a bag of SunChips.

"You look sexy, period." Nick chuckled. He has always loved how she looks in his clothing.

"Yeah? More like banged up," she laughed back.

"No you don't! Even though you **were **banged up pretty damned good the last few days," he pulled her by the wrist to bring her closer to him.

Jules moved up, turned around between his sheet covered legs, and leaned her back on to his bare chest.

"Have I told you how much I love you?" he whispered close to her ear, wrapping his arms around her.

"No, you've showed me though," she mumbled back up to him as she ate a chip.

"Life, right now…wow…I am so beyond grateful for getting you back…the only thing missing is me being with Em," he kissed the side of her face as she crunched her chip.

"I agree, Texas, I agree, and don't worry, you can come by tomorrow to be with her, okay?" she agreed.

"Hmmm, I would LOVE that. And, um, maybe when she takes a nap…I can be with her mother…" he squeezed her tightly.

"Ooooh, I like that idea," she snuggled back into him, reached back, and popped a SunChip in to his mouth.

* * *

On the other side of town, in the comfort of the Stokes' home, Trista was cooking up some snacks.

Now it may not be a big deal to some people, but to Trista, it was an emergency. She had made herself some killer French Fries in Jules' Cool Daddy fryer, which was something Trista has been meaning to buy herself but hadn't gotten around to it. She loved fries in the deep fryer and was psyched when she saw Jules had a big bag of frozen French Fries just calling her name.

Trista waited until they were golden brown and then dumped the batch of fries on the plate that was lined with paper towels. She grabbed the salt shaker and salted them to perfection. As they cooled she went to grab the ketchup. She checked all over the refrigerator but it wasn't there. She looked in the cabinet by the stove, but it wasn't in there either.

"Where the fuck is the ketchup, woman?" she grumbled. "I know you have ketchup, Jules, Em eats just about everything with ketchup," she frowned and said out loud to herself knowing it was in this house somewhere.

Trista contemplated going into the garage to see if she had it stocked on the shelves with the other items she had stored in the pantry out there, but she didn't want to go in there if it was in one of the cabinets in the kitchen, and she was somehow missing it. And the truth was…garages at night freaked her out.

Trista picked up the phone that was lying on the counter and called Jules' cell phone. It rang four times before it went to voice mail.

"Hey Jules, _**nothing **_is wrong with Emma so no worries but…**WHERE THE FUCK IS THE KETCHUP?**" and she hung up.

She waited about two minutes and called her back. After all, her fries were getting cold.

"**EMMA IS FINE BUT WHERE IS THE FREAKIN' KETCHUP, DUDE! I CANNOT EAT FRIES WITHOUT KETCHUP!" **and she hung up.

Trista looked at the phone a minute and scrolled down the caller ID. She saw a lot of calls coming up as "Nick Cell", and she rolled her eyes and kept scrolling down. She saw a few calls from the Bellagio Hotel, which seemed strange, but she didn't think much of it. All she cared about at that moment, was finding the ketchup. She decided she could probably find Warrick's cell phone number in the caller ID too and sure enough, there it was in digital letters: "Warrick Cell "

* * *

Warrick was quiet in the lab as he studied crime photos. He was glad to be working this case alone right now; he didn't want to collaborate on anything. He did what he had to do and didn't answer to anyone. It was the perfect case for just a time as this. Part of him wanted to go home to study the photos and just work on it all there. He just felt tired and worn out and needed to be left alone. He was just overwhelmed with everything going on with life… with his sister, his best friend, his niece, work…it was all just building up and he had a wicked headache.

He sat at the desk and held his head up with his hand as he marked off areas in the photos that he wanted enlarged. Biting the cap off of a red marker, he held it in his mouth as he made a notation. He was just putting the cap back on when he felt his phone vibrate in his back pocket.

"Oh, don't be bustin' my balls now people," he grumbled.

He reached into his back pocket, pulled out his cell, and looked at the caller ID before answering.

When he saw it was his sister's home number it made him nervous since he knew Brett was babysitting Emma tonight. Warrick answered it immediately.

"What's the matter, Brett?" getting straight to the point nervously.

"Ooohhh, you expecting a call from your lover, Home Boy?" Trista mocked although actually very surprised Warrick would even think it was Brett.

"What? What is _**wrong **_with you? What the hell do you want?" he said acting as if he was absolutely disgusted.

"Hey, you're the one hoping it was Brett, Honey," she laughed.

"You are seriously a freak, ya know that?" he told her.

"Oh just sshhhuttt up, and tell me why can't I find the ketchup," Trista grumbled.

"Excuse me?" he squished up his face as if he thought Trista lost her mind.

"**WHERE **is the ketchup?" she slowed her words down sarcastically.

"Why you askin' me?" Warrick answered as if she was ridiculous.

"_**I'm not! Ask Jules**_…if she answered her phone I wouldn't even bother with your sorry ass!" she informed him, "but since my fries are chilling as we speak it is an emergency!" she insisted.

"Is this some stupid joke, Trist?" he rolled his eyes.

"No! Fries without ketchup is **NO **joke…it's a _**travesty**_!" she yelled.

"Aren't you with Jules?" he asked beginning to suspect things were not as they seemed.

"Come on, stop playing would ya…you really are such a freakin' dumb ass, _I can't stand it_!" she told him, smirking as they bickered as usual.

"Trista…where are you?…where is Jules? I'm confused, seriously," he said slowly.

"_**WHAT DO YOU MEAN? YOU KNOW WHERE I AM! **_Just put Jules on the phone and stop playin' I didn't call for **you **anyway," she yelled sparring with him.

"Trista, listen to me a minute... I'm at work, I'm tired, and I'm busy, I'm not playin' with you anymore," he complained.

"What are you talking about, Rick?" she sighed loudly looking at her fries as they get cold and wondering why he would say he was working when she knew damn well he was with his sister.

"Jules is supposed to be with **YOU**," he squinted his eyes beginning to understand.

"Um, nooo, she went to dinner with **you**," she said slowly, "…I'm watching Emma."

Warrick ran his hand over his face knowing instantly his Baby Girl had lied to him. He backed up from his crime scene photos and went to the corner of the lab.

"Awww Trrissstttaaa," Warrick whined out sadly, "_**she lied to us**_."

"No fucking way. No. way. No way," she repeated herself and walked around in circles when something shocks or upsets her.

"Yes way, and we both know who she's really with," he said growing angry.

"_**I bet I know where!" **_Trista yelled loudly.

"Where? **And **do you _**really **_need to yell in my ear? I mean really," he grumbled.

"Shutttt upppp, would you? I bet she is at the Bellagio. I saw a few Bellagio numbers on the caller ID when I was looking for your cell number," she admitted.

"Fuck. Fuck, you gotta be right!" he nodded although she couldn't see him.

"Wait, did you just say _**I AM right? Meeee**_?" she tormented him.

"You just need to pipe down over there. Now, what are we gonna do about it?" he wondered.

"Shit, I don't know the answer to that one, Rick," she said.

"Oh, wait, wait…Did you just say _**YOU **_don't know the answer to something? I thought you knew everything?" he mocked her.

"Fuck off," she said flatly.

"Well, I really would like to see her reaction and confront her about lying to me. We never lie to each other…you know that," he said ignoring her insult.

"Ya know what, Rick, I agree. I want her to see that we aren't idiots and we don't need to be lied to," she frowned.

"I'm pissed! I gotta tell you that. I am really fucking pissed off that she would be a sneak and a rat. Doesn't my sister have any self respect? No shame? The guy fucking cheats on her…she has proof in her hand…she has an admission from the girl that he banged her…phone bills…I don't know what the hell she is thinking!" he yelled but tried to keep his voice down in the lab.

"I don't know. I don't get it. I really don't. I would like to ask her that right in front of Nick!" she yelled back.

"Me too! Me fucking too!"

"Then let's call her right now!" she said angrily.

"No, let's go knock on their room door," Warrick agreed, "I will leave work for a while. I will pick you up in about half an hour? How fast can you get someone there for Tiny?"

"I gotta make a call. I will ask either Brett or Nat come stay with Emma. She's sleeping anyway," she explained, "I'll call your sorry ass back and let you know if I can get one of them," she told him.

"My sorry ass? You can walk there, Dopey!" he said.

* * *

Brett came over in record time. He walked inside wearing silk pajamas and slippers.

"Who are you? Hugh fuckin Hefner?" she asked looking him up and down.

"I was asleep on the couch when you called, Missy! I came as soon as you asked so don't start!" he smiled and kissed her hello. "Soooo, we be having a little cat fight?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. The Jackass is coming to get me so we shall see," she said noting that Warrick was on his way.

* * *

Nearly a half an hour later Warrick came into the Stokes home and walked into the kitchen. He gave Brett a nod upward and said, "Hello."

Trista looked over at him and said, "So, ya ready for some fireworks?"

"Unfortunately, yeah," he replied.

Brett shook his head at both of them.

"I think you two should leave them alone. They love each other…it's romantic!" Brett told them as they walked to the front door.

As he was ready to close the door he heard both Trista and Warrick yell back at him….

"**Romantic? The guy is a cheat!**" Trista yelled.

"**And **he turned my sister into a freakin' _**liar**_!" Warrick yelled after her.

Brett just sighed loudly and watched as the two got into the truck and drove straight to the Bellagio.


	44. Tangled Web

Still do not own friggen CSI, damn it!

Rated M for language.

**Okay, thank God! Some reviews have finally started trickling in again **

**And I was able to bang you out a LONGER chapter. Yay! Wahoo!  
**

**Well, Trista and Warrick do not like being lied to..who does?**

**The two of them might always argue and bicker but they both agree on this...  
**

**Jules lied to them and they want to confront her on it.  
**

** And they do.**

**What will happen? **

**I guess you'll just have to read to find out...**

**ENJOY & don't forget to review...ALL of you!  
**

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Both Warrick and Trista discussed what they would say to Nick and Jules on the drive to the Bellagio. They weren't even sure how to go about it. Were they wrong? Every time one of them questioned themselves the other said they were **not **wrong because she was _**lying **_to them and _**using **_them to go to see Nick. They both agreed that that was **not cool**...not cool at all.

"So, what should we say?" Trista asked Warrick again on the way into the Bellagio Lobby.

"We _**just **_went over this, Dopey! We are gonna say that she is a fucking liar and a dumb, stupid, ass for trusting that douche bag and that we know now that she's a liar too and that's that," he said quietly.

"How poetic. How about we just tell her that we wanted her to know that we aren't stupid and we don't appreciate being lied to and that we certainly don't deserve it," she suggested.

"Yeah, that sounds good. But I do want to add that she needs to go home and stop hanging with that lying, rat, bastard," he added.

"Yeah, well, we have to remind her of Brooke Latham and the whole despicable act…apparently she needs us to remind her. Seriously!" she looked at him insistently.

"Stay over there by that couch," he pointed to the big, velvet couch in the lobby.

"Hmmm, how about kiss my ass and don't tell me what to do?" she said nonchalantly.

"Fine, then stay back a bit. I wanna get info about where they are…their room, ya know? I am going to have to show my CSI ID to get the info, otherwise they won't give it to me" he whispered.

"**OH**!, Oh, oh, okay," she agreed realizing why he ordered her to the couch, and so she slinked back a bit.

Warrick told the guy behind the counter that he was CSI Warrick Brown from the Las Vegas Crime Lab and he needed to know the room number of a Nicholas Stokes. Warrick showed him his ID as he spoke. The small framed man with stubby fingers, punched in the information into his computer.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but there is no Nicholas Stokes registered," he looked up at Warrick.

"Not a Nick Stokes?" he frowned.

"Uh uh, no, Sir," he informed.

"But he is staying …Oh ya know what, check under Juliana Brown Stokes, please" he realized Jules probably was using her credit card and booked the room herself which only annoyed Warrick more since it meant she had this all planned.

"Yes, we do have a Juliana Stokes registered," he leaned forward toward Warrick and whispered, "7th Floor…Room 710. Is there any kind of problem?" he inquired.

"Oh, no, no, no worries, sir…Nick Stokes is a fellow CSI. No crime…yet," he mumbled the "yet" under his breath as he walked away.

Trista followed after him quickly.

* * *

Jules started to slink out from Nick's sleeping arms until she felt him grab her hand tightly.

"Where ya goin', Sunshine?" he mumbled still with his eyes closed.

"I thought I should get home," she said leaning back into him as he pulled her back.

"I can't let you go yet," he said with his eyes still closed and his hand still tightly around hers.

"Okay, you don't have to tell me twice... I don't want to leave either. I will stay a little longer." she sat back on the bed and snuggled down into his chest again.

The two of them laid together and spoke softly to one another. Nick wrapped some of her blonde hair around his fingers before speaking.

"Hey, ya know, Baby, we really don't have to make love every time you come see me…just having you in my arms is enough for me," he said as he stroked her bare back with his other hand.

"I know, Handsome, I know. I feel the same way...I'd love to spend hours just lying in your arms," she confessed.

"I miss going out with you too…ya know, out out," he twisted her hair as he spoke.

"We will, let's just enjoy right now. I have to find a way to prove to my brother and to my friends that you are not the bastard they think you are. I want them to know that I do not believe you slept with Brooke," she looked up at him.

Nick blew the air from his lungs knowing he has no proof of that or anything else. He knew she was going on faith alone.

"Well, I hope we figure it out soon. I miss my own bed. I miss my daughter sharing breakfast with me every morning and I miss reading her stories at night…I miss our life," he whispered sadly.

"But we are still missing answers, Texas. And we need them," she said as she laid her head on his bare chest, loving the feeling of his heartbeat on her cheek.

Nick nodded and they stayed quiet for a bit thinking about the nightmare they have been facing.

Finally Jules changes the subject completely.

"Are you hungry?" she asked Nick.

"No, you?" he answered.

"Nah, but I need something sweet maybe? I know! I want Tiramisu!"

"**WHAT**? That's **my **thing…**you hate **it!" he scooted up on the pillows.

"I know…but it sounds like it would be good right now," she laughs.

"Hand me the phone, I'll order it for ya," he whispered and kissed her head.

As Nick orders her a Tiramisu he puts his hand over the receiver and whispers again, "Ya sure? Really? I'm telling' ya, you hate Tiramisu! You always want a bite of mine and then try to spit it out!" he gives her the knowing look.

Jules nods dramatically letting him know she is sure. "I know what I want, Texas!"

He shakes his head at her and places an order for two.

* * *

Several minutes later, Warrick and Trista walked off the elevator together and headed to Room 710 angrily.

They weren't sure if they were doing the right thing. Trista suddenly thought maybe this wasn't the thing to do and Warrick sensed it.

"You getting cold feet?" Warrick asked her.

"Yeah, I think I am," she grimaced at him.

"I'm not. I want to look her in the eyes when she admits she lied to me. If you want to go back, now's the time," he looked at her.

She reached out her hand and rapped hard on the door.

"Just a minute!" Jules yelled.

"Damn, Babe, that was fast!" Nick said jerking his head back slightly with surprise.

"It's only a piece of dessert, how long can it take?" she laughed and crawled off the bed.

"COME ON, Darlin'! Must you _**crawl **_off the bed like that? Don't be showin' me that sexy, little, ass of yours like that!" He tried to slap it but she was too quick.

Jules laughed loudly, grabbed the shorts she took off earlier in order to get comfortable in bed with Nick, slipped them on quickly, and ran to open the door.

She froze instantly.

She stuttered.

No words could come from her lips.

She tried, but they wouldn't.

She knew her face turned white.

"Hey, Baby Girl, I thought we had a dinner date? I mean, that's what Trista said, right Trist?" he spoke firmly.

"Yyyyep," Trista agreed.

Jules swallowed hard and tears brimmed her eyes.

"Aren't ya gonna say anything? Or are you fresh out of **LIES**, Baby Girl?" Warrick said loudly.

Nick heard Warrick that time and jumped up. He looked around for his underwear that were hiding under the sea of white sheets.

He didn't have time to put on anything else on, and he quite frankly didn't care.

He was sick of being judged.

Sick of Warrick getting loud with his wife.

Sick of not being able to steal away with her without worrying about getting caught…and it never failed…the two of them always seemed to get caught.

Nick walked up behind Jules and stared at both Trista and Warrick expressionless.

"Well, Nicky Boy, you not only turned my sister into a fucking idiot but congratulations…she's a fucking liar now too!" he yelled directly at Nick.

"I'm sorry," Jules whispered. "I can explain…just come in," she held the door open a little farther.

"Yeah, no, I don't think so," Trista said and shook her head sadly.

Seeing Jules there with Nick, and knowing there was no way for her to get out of this one, hurt Trista deeply.

"Nah, Baby Girl, I see all I care to see" he looked at Nick in his gray boxer briefs and looked at her disgusted.

"I didn't want to upset you guys. I didn't want to let you know yet that I believe him. I trust him," she pleaded.

"**SO YOU LIE**?" Trista yells, '_**YOU MAKE UP AN ELABORATE STORY**_?"

"Yeah, of course she'd lie… she learned it from the best…she learned it from **HIM**!" Warrick interjects.

Nick stares directly at him. "Ya know what Warrick, maybe if you listened to me…heard me out…maybe just maybe you would rethink what you **THINK **you **KNOW**!' Nick felt anger permeating from him.

"**FUCK YOU **ya cheating scumbag…I hope your daughter grows up proud of her parents…so impressive the two of you!" Warrick yells as he shakes his head.

Nick could handle a lot of things Warrick throws at Jules. He can handle anything he throws at him…anything except bringing his little girl into it.

Nick reaches out his arm and slightly pushes Jules aside. Jules felt herself breath in and hold her breath knowing Nick would not like what Warrick just said about his daughter.

"**SHUT THE FUCK UP, RICK**!" he yelled loudly inches from Warrick's face.

"Reeaallll proud of her lying parents. Emma will have to deal with a stupid mother who falls for her cheating father's lies. She will…"

Warrick doesn't get to finish his sentence because the anger Nick felt from Warrick's words were so great he didn't even hesitate. Nick cocked his arm back and punched Warrick directly in the side of his face. Warrick stumbled sideways and was stunned a minute before he realized what happened. When he did, he lunged for Nick. Trista gasps and moves back; Jules does the same.

Nick cocks his arm back again and slams Warrick to the floor with one punch.

"_**I HAVE TOLD YOU BEFORE! DO NOT BRING MY DAUGHTER INTO THIS!" **_he said leaning down and grabbing Warrick up slightly by the front of his shirt. The fury in Nick's face was obvious and he was fiercely defending his family.

"_**NICK**_!" Trista and Jules yelled at the same time.

"_**Warrick, are ya done? Are ya finished talking shit about something you know nothing about? Ya finished talking about my wife and baby?" **_he screamed, still leaning over him, holding him by his shirt and keeping his arm back in position for another punch if Warrick chose the wrong answer.

"**Get the fuck off of me, Nick! Just get the fuck off of me**!" he bore holes through his brother-in-law.

Warrick knew he gave them both a low blow. He knew he deserved to be socked. He tried to push the envelope and he didn't get away with it. He could continue to fight Nick but he knew he was wrong and he knew Nick was irate. Nick would never tolerate anyone, even his best friend and brother in law, to talk shit about his family. Nick would have tolerated anything Warrick threw at him personally, but he was very sensitive when it came to Jules and Emma. He was ferocious about them which suddenly made Warrick wonder for a brief second how he could ever cheat on them. Nick was right; it didn't make sense. And yet…there was **proof**.

When Nick let go and Warrick got to his feet, he looked over at Jules who had her hand covering her mouth. He shook his head at her and she ran to the bathroom to get him a towel. She ran a piece of it under cold water before going back to him immediately. She looked at him and saw slight swelling on his cheek. She held the towel out to him and Warrick took it and pressed it to his face.

Jules took a deep breath and tried to explain. "You were out of line, Warrick. I am sorry…_**both of you**_...I am sorry that I got caught. I am **not **sorry I lied."

Warrick's eyes grew big and Trista was shocked.

"I'm not sorry **because **I wanted to keep you from worrying about me. I wanted to prove to you that Nick is not the bad guy you think he is. I wanted to prove it somehow. And I figured if I could, I would spare you the worry because you would know and you would believe him…_**like I do**_," she said sadly.

"You could have told me, Jules," Trista said sounding deeply hurt.

"I couldn't! I didn't want you to look at us the way you are looking at us right now. I wanted you to have the proof…then you would be able to let go of the hatred you have for him," she explained sincerely.

Trista took a deep breath, "I understand what you are saying, but I still don't agree with you… Not about Nick and not about lying," she shook her head. "I love you, Jules, and I still worry about how you are handling the revelation that Nick is a lying, cheating bastard. I am sorry you will have to find out the hard way…but you will, it's inevitable…Once a cheat; always a cheat. Trust me…I know." she looked at the ground before continuing. "Brett is staying with Emma and he is in his pajamas and happy to be lying on your couch…. I, on the other hand, would not be," she confessed. "And I am going home."

"How about you **BOTH **go home," Nick said harshly.

Jules shot him a nasty look.

Nick had enough of the judgment. He was tired of being called names that he couldn't even defend himself against. He knew he looked guilty but he was pretty damned sure he wasn't, and he needed his friends to believe him. If he didn't have Jules he would have no one. He had enough of being talked about and spoken to that way. As far as he was concerned he was just done. His hand hurt from socking Warrick, his head hurt from the anger, and for God's sakes he was standing in his underwear.

Security came running down the hallway quickly.

"We got a complaint there was a disturbance up here?" one said with a rough, deep voice.

"Yeah, no, no, we're leaving," Warrick said wiping some blood from his face.

"Yeah, well it looks like there was a fight to us," the smaller guy said reaching for his radio.

"It's okay, it's all good, we're LVPD CSI," Warrick told them and Nick nodded.

The bigger security guard looked at Nick in his underwear and nodded. "Okay, I get it. I get it. Caught with his wife?" he chuckled. "Just do me a favor, the two who aren't registered guests, please leave the premises. Unless you are taking the correct spouse with you and then switch. I don't know. I don't care. Just get!"

The security guard looked over at his partner, "Let it go, Troy, they got it settled."

"Yeah but, there was a…" the smaller guard began.

"Troy, they're LVPD, shut the fuck up," he said shaking his head at the obvious new guy.

And with that, the two men walked down the hall.

Trista and Warrick followed immediately after.

* * *

Jules stood staring at Nick as he shook his hand back and forth once the door was shut.

"God damn Warrick has a hard cheekbone," he said trying to diffuse what might be coming his way from Jules.

"Nick…Nick…" she said shaking her head exasperated, "I don't even know what to say."

Nick stared at her; he didn't either.

Jules surprised him by not being mad that he slugged her brother. Instead she walked to him, wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his chest.

"This is crazy…all of it," she whispered.

"AND this is one downfall of having a best friend who is also your co-worker who also happens to be your brother-in-law" he pulled her back to look at her and he gave her a closed mouth smile.

"Everyone means well in this whole disaster, you realize that. Warrick, Trista, and me…but it just turned into an even bigger mess," she said as he leans in and kisses her forehead.

"Aghhh, did you _**really **_have to hit him, Nicky?" she whispered.

"Yep," he said assuredly, "yes, I did,"

"I guess I should be happy there's no backsplatter on the walls then?" she looked up at him.

"_WHAAAT_?" he looked at her like she was crazy, " Oh…,my…God…_**you mean 'blood spatter'?"**_ he laughed hard and gripped her tighter finding her adorable.

"Yeah, sorry, you know what I mean…a big huge fight…a blood bath," she grinned like a little kid.

"Yeah, then I suppose you should be happy there was no cast off, ya knuckle head." he rubbed his knuckles into her head.

"Just trying to lighten up this who fucking disaster, Cowboy," she gives him a sorrowful face.

Nick pulls her back to his chest and hugs her tight before she pulls away.

"I better get back to our daughter. I am sure Brett is tired," she nods at him and walks over to her purse.

Jules digs around and finds her phone inside.

"Now if only I didn't shove this in my purse," she held her phone up, "I would have been able to lie to both of them better," she laughed joking before she squinted her eyes and stared at her phone. "Hey, I got a text from Brett," she informs Nick.

Jules reads the text message aloud:

**Hi sugah**

**Going 2 sleep here 2nite. U stay w ur hunk of man n relax.**

**Im sure the shit hit the fan by now.**

**Call me in the morn.**

**Emma will b fine.**

**Love u!**

**B**

Jules looked up and smiles wide at Nick.

"Take your underwear off, Handsome," she unbuttons her shorts and they fall to the floor, "Brett is stayin' at our house!" she grins.

"I love how you just said 'our house' and I gotta say, **I love that guy**!" Nick yells.

"Better not let him hear that…he might try to be the next Brooke Latham on you," she smirked and together they crawled back in to the Bellagio bed.

"Cowboy, I don't want to think about _**annnything**_ that just happened here tonight. I just want to lie in your big, strong, arms and feel like everything is okay," she snuggled into the crook of his arm.

"Everything will be okay, Darlin'," he whispered and squeezed her to him tighter, "…it's gotta be."

Jules looked up at him and smiled truly believing him.

"Nick?" she whispered sweetly.

"Let me guess…You love me?" he chuckled.

"Well, yeah, but…" she paused.

"**BUT**?" he looked down at her.

"But I never did get my Tiramisu," she said sadly.

Nick just laughed and kissed her head.

"Baby, everything is gonna be okay…even if you don't get Tiramisu tonight."

Jules smiles wide, rests her head back on Nick's chest, and drapes her arm over him.

And in her heart…she believed everything really would be okay.


	45. Anger  Management

Rated M - warning Dirty Smut Chapter

Don't own CSI...not even a little bit.**  
**

**So, Warrick and Trista confront Jules for lying and it turns ugly for Warrick and Nick.**

**Words were spoken and fists flew.**

**Will Trista and Warrick be able to forgive Nick and Jules?**

**What do they have to say? **

**Or are**** Nick and Jules**** too busy to discuss it? Maybe...maybe not...**

**This is VERY long chapter so I think I am deserving of REVIEWS! I don't get many anymore. Sad, isn't it?**

**Still working on an ending so if you are "hoping" for something let me know and maybe I can incorporate a little something for ya. **

**If you don't tell me...I'll never know.**

**Read on and Enjoy! And then REVIEW!**

**!REVIEW!  
**

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* * *

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Warrick and Trista agreed to go back to his house for a few hours since her things were at Jules' place, including her car which was blocked in by Brett, and she couldn't exactly go ringing the bell at 3:30 in the morning. It didn't matter to her where she went, she was just ready to sit down and 'veg out' from the horrible night.

As he pulled into his driveway silently he was brewed over what just went down at the Bellagio. Warrick wasn't sure if he was furious at them or sorry for bringing his niece into the conversation. He was just so pissed off it flew out of his mouth.

Trista looked over at Warrick and saw him clenching his jaw.

"Hmm, I guess that didn't go so well, huh, Tyson?" she said staring at the side of Warrick's bruised cheek. "Wellll…at least you got out of the rest of your shift," she shrugged and opened the door.

"Yeah, nothing like telling my boss I banged my face on a rafter while dusting for prints. Man, I never did that before!" he said looking over at her shocked at himself.

Trista rolled her eyes at him as they walked into Warrick's house.

"You really are such a dork! I make up shit all the time! I make up shit all the time to get out of work when I wanna go somewhere," she nodded. "Um, like shopping with your sister is always nice," she grinned.

Warrick rolled his eyes at her for kicking her shoes off by the door just like his sister always did.

He looks at her and squints his eyes. "I'm a dork for not making shit up to get out of work? Ya know what, you are such a brat!" he shakes his head at her.

"No I am not! ! Shut up, what do you know anyway! If I want a break and need to go shopping with Jules…then it is a must!

Warrick forgot to throw a nasty comeback to Trista because he immediately thought about Jules. "Goddamn it - she is so fucking stubborn. My sister is an idiot!" he yelled as he put his shoes neatly in the closet. "What the fuck, Trista! You mean to tell me you can't you get through to her? Is she that fucking blind? Why would she even believe his bullshit?" Warrick went on a tear just from hearing about his sister.

"Did you want me to answer any of those questions or do you just like to hear yourself talk?" she grumbled following him into the kitchen.

"Oh, just shut it…Don't _**you **_start with me now!" he complained as he opened his refrigerator and took out a carton of lemonade.

"Who's starting? I'm just sayin'!" she growled back at him.

"Can't I vent about my sister without you being a wise ass? For once…you think that it is possible for you to be a civil human being?" he argued and poured himself a glass.

Warrick looked at the glass and offered it instead to Trista. She took it and he got himself another one.

"Whatever, Warrick…go ahead and vent then," she shrugged and guzzled half her lemonade.

"Not whatever, Trist! How can you be okay with this?" he said shocked at her.

"**Why**_**? Because we have tried to help her. We have tried to tell her. **_**There is nothing we can do. I quit. I really do. **_**I told her. You told her. She believes him," **_she yelled loudly while shaking her head.

"Oh, nah, nah…I don't quit," he said shaking his head back.

Trista knew him for as long as she has known Jules and she knew that Warrick never quits, and he especially wouldn't quit on his "Baby Girl".

"**Well you should!** Ya just gotta leave it alone…" she paused and looked down. "I don't know…maybe…just maybe he **is **telling the truth. I don't see how its possible but…I don't know, Warrick. I guess I am just hoping, ya know?" she said quietly.

"Rick, you have known him the longest. You knew him before Jules even laid eyes on him. Would he? " she said looking right at him, "I mean I know Nick too…not as long as you, but I know him. I know how much he loves her… he has always been madly in love with her….it just seems weird. Would he really spit on her like that?" she asked him sincerely without the usual insult or comment.

Trista stared at Warrick who was shaking his head.

"Don't look good, kid," he pressed his lips together and shook his head back and forth slowly.

"Ugh, this is just a fucking nightmare! I just want her to be all right, that's all," she said and leaned against the counter.

"Oh, like I don't?" he rolled his eyes at her.

"Oh shut up, I didn't say you didn't…My God you are so annoying!" she snipped at him.

Warrick sighed loudly and threw up his hands in annoyance before answering her.

"And **NO**…to answer your question… No. Even at his drunkest…he would be the last one I would ever think would do that," he shook his head with disappointment. "Was he a dog before he met her? I guess a little bit. He just liked playing the field but…," Warrick paused and thought for a minute before continuing, "No, he never **purposely **fucked someone over…he liked to juggle some Honeys, but that's why he didn't get tied down so he didn't have to screw somebody over."

"Well, all I can say is Jules is refusing to give up on him, she's believing him no matter how bad it looks for Nick," Trista frowns," and she is not a dumb girl, Rick. She is not one to dream up fairy tales."

"Yeah, well I can see that! It's like she's blinded by him" he ran his hand over his face with frustration.

"Or…" Trista began.

"Or what?" he looked over at her as she drank more of her lemonade.

"Or maybe she knows something we aren't taking the time to see. Maybe she knows what she's doing." she winced up her face as she said it.

"And maybe she fucking doesn't!" he said worriedly.

"Ok, well… then, if she gets hurt again then we'll be there to pick up the much else we can do," she said honestly.

"I don't want her to get hurt again!" he yelled at Trista.

"_**No fucking shit, Warrrrrick**_. I don't either but we gotta take a step back here. We can't get this involved. Nick obviously turned into a scumbag and that means he **will **hurt her again, and well, then _**she will learn the hard way**_. **It's not like she is listening to us**!" she yelled back.

"**Oh you're cold**!" he frowned.

"**No, I am honest and I am accurate!" **she defended herself loudly.

Their conversation became heated. They weren't yelling at each other as much as they were yelling from frustration.

"_**Well why can't you just talk some sense into her…your supposed to be her best friend!" **_Warrick spoke loudly at her.

"Why cant **YOU **talk sense into her! _**You're her fuckin' brother**_!" she argued back. "Ya know what, you're just pissed because **you **cant get her to listen. **Typical Warrick**!"

"What? What does that mean?" he gave her a glare.

"**You**…typical "big man on campus" giving orders without listening to **her**!" she glared back.

Trista was just frustrated. She didn't know how to help her best friend from her poor choices, and while she agreed with Warrick, she just _**needed **_to argue with him.

"_Whhhaat are you talllking about_! You **agree **with me, dumb ass!"

"Don't call me a dumb ass or I seriously will throw this in your face," she said holding up the lemonade he gave her.

"I always call you a dumb ass, **Dumb ass**," he said.

Trista only had a little bit left in her glass but it was enough to soak the front of Warrick's shirt, which he soon found out, as lemonade flew across the kitchen and splashed on Warrick's neck and chin.

"Did you? Oh no, no you did not, Trista!" he said with mouth hanging open shocked and lemonade streaming onto his shirt from his chin.

"I told you not to call me a dumb ass," she said calmly.

Warrick shook his head. "You little wench!" he said angrily but in a weird way finding it funny.

"Maybe I should pour myself another glass and keep it handy in case you want to mess with me again?" she said snidely.

"You are **such **a little bitch, Trista, you know that?" he informed her trying not to smirk.

"Yeah? Ya think? Well, I have an idea!" she tilted her head as if she spoke, "Why don't you go outside and play a game of **GO FUCK YOURSELF**!" she tried to hide her chuckle.

He wanted to be mad at her but he couldn't. It was pretty brazen of her to follow through and douse him with her drink, and Warrick had to admit he always liked her spark even thought he would never, ever, admit it.

Warrick pulls off his drenched t-shirt and uses it to wipe his face, wincing a bit from the lemonade getting in his scrape that Nick created earlier.

Trista looks at him but quickly looks away. She never noticed Warrick's chiseled chest before. "_It's a good thing he annoys me so much or I might give him a second look_," she thought silently.

"You are gonna clean up my floor I am telling you right now!" he grumbled.

"Yeah, keep waiting, Tough guy!" she grumbled back.

"Why do you gotta be such a fucking wise ass alll the time?" he frowned at her.

It was the first time the two of them fought like this alone…usually they had Jules to intervene and they usually fought like this just for kicks to annoy her. But this time, there was no Jules and no one to annoy with their fighting but themselves.

"Yeah, well, I learned for _**YOU**_…the biggest wise ass," she said and pushed past him.

Warrick grabbed her arm.

"Where are you going, Dumb ass?" he said nastily, but inside he wanted to laugh.

"That's it, where's my drink?" she slammed her hand on his shoulder, pushing him hard so she could walk back to the counter.

Trista slipped slightly in the lemonade that had spilled on the floor.

Warrick caught her arm.

"See, I saved your life," he tormented her.

"Oh, my hero. First Jules' and now mine," she said sarcastically.

"God damn it, Trista, you really are a little brat!" he said annoyed that she would bring that topic up.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just move!" she yelled as she went past him and put her hand on his bare chest to push him again.

For all the years she had known Warrick, they had done nothing but argue, bicker and fight.

But, at that very moment, that very second, it suddenly became abundantly clear that the two of them obviously had a sexual tension between them that they never knew existed.

They started at each other with a look of disbelief. It was if they both realized it at the same time…that very same instant.

Trista swallowed hard and went to say something nasty but she stuttered instead.

Warrick looked directly into her face and suddenly he wanted to kiss her.

She stared back at him silently and, without thinking, Warrick reached out and grabbed her by the back of her head roughly, pulling her mouth to his.

Trista tensed for a minute before wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her body against him with force.

The two of them were shocked by their actions but they couldn't resist or stop. It was if a vice had been put around him.

Warrick never broke away from her kiss as he lifted her up around his hips. Trista wrapped her legs around Warrick's waist and let him take her into the living room where they fell onto the couch wildly and he laid his body on top of hers. Their sexual tension had now been unleashed and it was unstoppable.

As Trista's mouth attacked Warrick's she couldn't help thinking how awesome his kiss was. She couldn't believe she was kissing Warrick Brown, Jules' brother, the guy she constantly fights with…and she was enjoying it! Trista felt her hand take on a mind of it's own and she began to rub up and down the back of his thigh, and grabbing his ass, before moving around to Warrick's dick that was already bulging in his jeans. She could feel how big he was just from what she felt on the outside. "_I have got to get inside his jeans_," she thought to herself as their tongues tangled with each others.

Warrick was amazed at how awesome Trista's kiss was, but he was even more dumbfounded that he was kissing her at all. He never in a million years saw this one coming. Suddenly it shocked him, "_Why didn't I ever see her in this light before? I mean she is so damn pretty and this little body of hers is rockin'," _he thought silently.

Warrick didn't even realize, that as he thought about her tight little body, he was already unbuttoning Trista's shirt. As he got each button open with pure expertise, he felt Trista caressing his hard-on through his jeans. He wasn't surprised when he felt her unbutton and unzip his jeans; he knew she wanted him just as bad as he wanted her.

"_Was this really happening_," they both thought but didn't speak the words out loud.

Once Trista had his jeans undone, she slid her hands into the sides and pushed them down with force and intensity. She wanted them off and she meant it. Warrick moved himself so that she could get them off easier. He grabbed her hair roughly again and she loved it. He pulled her head back by the hair and made room for his mouth to suck her neck. Trista moaned softly before grabbing his shoulders and pushing him up.

"_**Oh my God! What the fuck are we doing**_?" she said with her mouth open as she looked up at him.

Warrick stared down at her unsure of the answer he should give.

"I, I can't believe it…**YOU**? How can this be **YOU**? I _**hate **_you!" she smirked and shook her head before grabbing his face and smashing it back to her lips and grinding her hips against his cock.

Trista could feel his bare cock pressing hard against her shorts. She also felt Warrick's large hands grab the sides of her shorts and yank them down with determination.

She thought for a brief second, "_This is it, I am going to be fucked by Warrick_!"

But that wasn't what happened…yet.

She should have known Warrick would be a wild one. He wouldn't be like most of the men she's been with, he wouldn't just be a wham, bam, type of guy. She should have known, but still it surprised her when he yanked her panties off quickly and, instead of jamming his dick inside her immediately, he slipped two fingers inside of her instead. Trista gasped and threw her head back from the feeling of his large fingers fucking her fast and furiously.

Trista's moan made Warrick hot and he wanted badly to taste her. Everything he never even thought of doing to her suddenly was everything he wanted to do. As he made her writhe beneath him he began to suck her neck and lick his way down to her breasts. He moved her bra down enough to expose her hardened nipples and he sucked one hard and made her groan out. Warrick moved on down her stomach until he put his face between her legs. Trista nearly screamed when she felt his lips kiss her wet and heated pussy.

Warrick Brown began to unleash his magic on his sister's best friend. He licked her clit up and down madly before sliding two fingers deep into her pussy again. He reached his other hand up to her breasts and grabbed and squeezed them roughly. Trista had never felt anyone go down on her like this before. She thought it was amazing… but she had no idea it was just the beginning of her pleasure trip.

Without hesitation, Warrick pulled her thighs over his shoulders and moved his tongue back into her pussy. He was loving the taste of her and she was loving the feeling. She moaned even louder as he began sucking her clit and then fucking her with his tongue. Trista could feel her orgasm happening already and she wasn't sure if she was embarrassed or overjoyed. She began to squirm around in ecstasy and she felt heat flood through her body before she exploded with an orgasm that made her entire body quiver and shake. Trista hadn't intended to yell, but she didn't have any choice…she called out his name loudly. Warrick loved making her cum so hard and hear her yell his name so loud. He was feeling proud and wild with lust. He wanted to fuck her and he wanted her now. He stood up and pulled Trista to her feet before she even knew what was happening. He turned her around toward the couch and tried to bend her over the couch, but she spun back around and pushed him.

"Whoa," he held his hands up in defense, afraid for a minute he crossed the line.

"Not so fast tough guy! Always thinking' you the man? Well, how about this?" she said and pushed him down on the couch.

Trista dropped to her knees in front of him and leaned forward and took his rock hard cock into her mouth.

Warrick groaned, "Oh, whoa, oh yeah, that's it, baby."

Trista sucked harder when she heard him liking what she was doing. It turned her on more knowing she was making him so hot. She continued to slide Warrick's huge cock in and out of her mouth with a great rhythm, sucking harder and faster, taking his cock to her throat. She could tell he was loving it by the sounds he was making and she was getting hot just from hearing it from him.

"Oh fuck yeah, suck my cock, oh fuckkkk yeah," Warrick groaned loudly making Trista move faster.

Warrick grabbed Trista's shoulders and lifted her to him.

"I gotta fuck you, Honey," he told her as he looked her in the eyes.

"I'm not your Honey," she said and raised her eyebrow daring him to spar with her.

"I yeah, yeah, I know, I," he stuttered nervously

"I can't believe I am gonna say this to **YOU**…my best friend's dumb ass brother, but…"

"Hey, 'dumb ass brother'?" he complained.

"Yeah, that's what I call you, Dumb ass!" she told him.

"Dumb ass? Oh you little witch!" he growled.

"What are you gonna do about it, Home boy?" she egged him on.

"Home Boy?" he repeated her.

"Yeah, I got some other names I call you…wanna hear them?" she gave him a wicked, seductive stare.

They were bickering again except this time they were on fire with hot sexual desire.

"What am I gonna do about it?" Warrick said as he pushed her up off him, spun her around again and bent her over the couch. Trista reached behind herself and grabbed Warrick's hard cock and guided it toward her soaking, wet, pussy. Warrick didn't need any coaxing, he plunged deep inside her making Trista gasp from the sensation. He was huge and she felt every inch of it. Warrick grabbed her hips and the two of them grunted and groaned as they fucked wildly.

Their bodies were damp with sweat and they were panting with passion. Warrick showed no mercy as he rammed himself inside her, making her moan with desire. She wasn't used to fucking like this; Warrick had just awakened and unlocked something in her that was completely primal. She let her hips buck back against him as he was fucking her and that drove Warrick even more insane causing him to pound his cock into her ferociously.

Trista's moans increased from their roughness and she shocked herself when she actually began talking dirty to him.

"Oh yeah, fuck me hard, Warrick, you are a fucking madman…a fucking animal!" she screamed and he loved hearing it.

Warrick didn't think he could possibly get turned on any more than he was, but much to his surprise, the more she talked dirty and praised his movements, the more out of control he felt. He wanted her so bad he couldn't stand it and he began to plow into her writhing body harder making her groan and moan even louder.

Warrick couldn't remember having sex this good in what seemed like forever.

He yanked her hair back with just the right amount of force. He didn't want to hurt her, but he knew she was loving it rough. As he pulled her hair, he panted and breathed heavily.

"Oh, oh…you…fucking..want… me…tell me how bad you fucking want me," he said arrogantly.

"Yeah I fucking want you…you…fucking…jerk…off" she panted trying to fight with him with their usual banter.

If they thought about it they probably would have found it very funny that even when they lost control and fucked each others brains out they bickered and fought with one another. It was actually comical…and it made for hotter, steamier, and rougher sex. Neither one of them ever knew that the two of them could create an earthquake together.

Warrick could feel himself ready to unleash himself but he refused to let that happen. He wanted more of her and he didn't want to stop.

Trista didn't think she ever had someone fuck her as good as Warrick Brown. She never would have imagined that it would be Jules' brother who would be the best lay she has ever had in her entire life. She was utterly shocked by all of this. As she thought about how crazy all of this was, she was taken by surprise as he spun her around and picked her up onto his hips.

"I gotta take you upstairs, Honey," he growled.

"I'm not your Honey," she growled back before diving in to suck his neck as he carried her upstairs.

His bedroom was door almost closed so he kicked it making it slam open. He brought her over to his bed and threw her on it seductively.

"Oh, now what do ya got, Tough Guy?" she baited him.

"How about you shut your mouth and find out?" he smirked back at her.

Warrick grabbed her calves and pulled her to him as he stood at the side of the bed. Grabbing her legs and throwing them over his shoulders, he leans over her and pushes himself inside her. Trista can't help it, she finds herself moaning loudly again making Warrick go harder and deeper. Faster and faster. He feels the sweat trickle over his temples as he fucks his sister's best friend.

He didn't even realize he was saying it until he heard from his own mouth,

"Trista… you are one sexy bitch…You are fucking by far, the best I have ever been with," he panted, "and you are blowing my fuckin' mind!"

"Harder you son of a bitch," was all she could pant out.

Warrick knew. He knew he was the best she ever had. He could feel it in her body; he could hear it in her moans. He knew and he didn't need her to admit it. He also knew he was taking her over the edge and she was ready to let herself go.

"I know you want to cum, oh I know you do!" he proclaims arrogantly and reached over and grabbed her breast. He leaned in and began licking her nipples. He wanted to cum when he heard her gasping for air but he wouldn't allow himself to. Instead, he kept sucking and licking her breasts and neck before he hovered over her again and looked down at her.

"You fucking want me, Trist..tell me…SAY IT!" he insisted.

"You…you…have no…idea…" she gasps.

"Then tell me," he groaned out as he continued slamming her.

Trista scraped her nails down his wet back.

"SAY it…tell me how bad you want me…you want to feel me in you…go ahead, I wanna hear it!" he yelled as he pounded.

"Oh, fuck yea! I fucking want you…you are so fucking amazing…you are so fucking hot right now…fucking mad crazy hot!" she screamed out.

Warrick could feel her begin to shake. He knew she was unable to hold back any longer. He was making her cum again and he loved it.

"I'm gonna make you cum hard again…you can't take it can you…You're gonna cum right now, aren't you!" he asked her.

"Oh, Oh, I can't take it…oh you feel so fucking good…oh… Warrrrrrick…. you are amazing…I can't help it I'm gonna cum…I'm gonna…"

"Me too, baby…" he grunts and groans with his voice raspy and deep.

Warrick knows this is it, the grand finale. He knew they couldn't hold back any longer. He pushed harder, nearly bending her in half, as he leaned over her. Grabbing her waist tightly, he picked up his pace again and pounded harder and harder.

Their bodies smack together loudly and Trista begins to scream out.

"I'm cumming…oh fuck me…yes…I'm cumming so…fuck…ing…hard, aghhhhhhhhhhh" she lets out loud groans with each pump and he groans even louder as he yanks himself out of her and shoot his load all over her chest. Trista legs fall off his broad shoulders and slide down to his sides. She grabs him, pulls him down completely on top of her and grips her nails into his back. She is still quaking underneath him, he can feel her body vibrating and she sucks hard on his shoulder to muffle her cries.

Warrick grabs underneath her ass and pushes her hot pussy against his groin. He wanted to feel the throbbing and the heat he created. She had him absolutely mesmerized. He could barely breathe from the pleasure and he didn't even care that they were embraced between sweat and cum…he was literally high from her.

"Holy..ssshhhit…" she said still breathing heavily.

Whoooooshhhh," was the only sound Warrick could make as he rolled off of her.

"What did we just do!" she panted.

"Um, I don't think I need to school you on it," he laughed.

"I mean…what did we just do!" she rolled to her side and looked at him, "did we really just fuck each other's brains out?"

Warrick ran his hand over his face. "Yep, I do believe we just did."

"No way. No way. I can't believe it," she repeated over and over.

"You know what I can't believe?" Warrick turned his head to look at her.

"What?" she asked.

"I can't believe we didn't do this sooner! Dayummm, Honey!" he said loudly.

"I'm still not your Honey," Trista said flatly.

The two of them looked at each other before bursting out with laughter.


	46. Role Reversal

WARNING: Dirty Smut again...especially for the Smut Fans...to get u through the long weekend ;oP

I don't own CSI.

**Rated M - for sexual content.**

**Warrick and Trista Chapter.**

**Warrick is in for a shock when it comes to Trista.**

**She really isn't one of his "Honeys" as he soon will realize.**

**She has just as much spark and confidence as he does.**

**Warrick may have met his match...**

* * *

Silence loomed inside Warrick Brown's bedroom. No words were spoken until Warrick looked over at Trista who was still staring at the ceiling in shock about what just happened.

Trista could feel him looking at her but she didn't look back at him.

"Warrick, can I use your shower?" she asks flatly still looking at the ceiling.

"Yeah, sure, of course," he answered, " I'd say we both are pretty nasty right now," he laughs while looking down at his chest.

Warrick was expecting that any minute Trista would be asking him to join her in the shower. Chicks always used the excuse that they wanted to use the shower so they could get more time with him and go another round. He waited a few seconds, but when she still hadn't asked, he got up from the bed and stood looking down at her taking notice again that her body was absolutely smoking' hot. Warrick leans over, holds out his hand to help her up. And much to his surprise, even after she is on her feet, she still doesn't ask him to join her in the shower. In fact, if anything, she was brushing him off.

Warrick was only inches from her when she got to her feet and Trista immediately gave him a dirty look.

"_**Can ya move**_? You're in my way, you weirdo," she gave him a look and was already back to name calling.

Warrick wasn't used to a chick not trying to cuddle up with him. He was used to girls that hoped for pillow talk or ask if he would join them in the shower. Instead, she told him to move out of her way? He was dumbfounded, but he didn't move away.

Trista pushed him softly to move him out of her personal space so she could move toward the door to go shower. she wasn't expecting him to hook his arm around her waist and pull her naked, body into his. She was caught off guard when he slammed her hard against him.

With her face only millimeters from his she jerks her head back slightly.

"Whoa, hey, what are you…," Trista begins to say just before Warrick leans down and gives her a mind numbing kiss.

Trista was shocked by his aggressiveness but, once again, his kiss was amazing. It was his kiss that made her melt into him.

The two of them begin to catch fire and the same passion that started downstairs was beginning all over again. There was no way to fight their newly unleashed animal magnetism.

Trista can feel the burning heat already and her mind couldn't believe what went on earlier was about to happen again. She jerks away from his kiss and, while breathing heavy, she stares at him.

"Oh, no, no, what are we doing, Warrick? We are NOT doing this again!" she said covering her mouth with her hand. "You and me…_**we fight**_…that's…that's just what we do!"

"Yeah? Well, I'm sorry, Honnn," he stops short of calling her "Honey", "I'm sorry, Trist, but you are just too amazing and I gotta….I gotta come back for more…" he says shaking his head.

Warrick knew he had no choice but to go after her to get what he wanted because she wasn't chasing after him. So, he grabbed her by the hips, moved her to his dresser, and propped her ass up on the edge.

Trista knew it was too hot to fight. She wants his lips again. She wants that kiss, so she grabs Warrick's face with both hands and attacks his mouth. She can't believe how hot his kiss makes her. And while Warrick kisses her passionately he grabs his hardened cock and begins to push it into her. Trista gasps into his mouth sucking in his air.

"Fuck, Warrick, you make me so hot..." she manages to whisper out, as she wraps her legs around him and pushes him deeper inside her.

Warrick begins to move faster and the sensation is making him crazy.

"Oh, you feel so fucking good, Trista, so fucking good," he groans loudly.

Warrick begins sliding himself inside her back and forth with rhythm and the feeling is so good he can't control himself. He begins to slam himself into her harder and harder. The dresser began to shake and the mirror rattled; Warrick looked up at her quickly hoping he didn't just knock the wind out of her, but she gave him a devilish smile before rolling her head back with pleasure and groaning loudly. Warrick knew she was loving how badly he wanted himself in her. He couldn't stand it, he wanted all of her.

Warrick grabs her head and pulls her face back to meet his so he can attack her lips. As he begins kissing her again, he rubs his hands over her breasts as they fuck faster.

Trista begins to yell louder with passionate moans.

"If…you…don't…stop," she pants making her words hard to say,"…you are…gonna… make…. me cum…and I want to take…. this… into your shower!" she nearly screamed her words.

Warrick didn't waste any time, he slung her up on his hips and carried her straight to his bathroom. Holding her against the shower doors, he leaned his hand into the shower and, without looking and still keeping his lips on hers, he manages to turn on both the hot and cold faucets. As soon as the water was right, he carried her right into the shower.

Warrick broke away from her so he could watch Trista's hair get wet, and watch the water cascading down her body. Watching the water spill over her hair and slick up her body turned him on immensely and she knew it. She began to rub her body teasingly before reaching over and grabbing the soap. Once she had it in her hand she gave him a seductive smile and began soaping up his chest, sliding her hands around him until she slipped them down to his enormous, hard, cock. Trista raised her eyebrow and stared directly into his green eyes as she began to jerk him off with the help of slippery soap suds. Warrick was absolutely out of his mind. He pushed his mouth into her neck and began to suck it rough and hard. The more she stroked him the harder he sucked her neck. Finally, Warrick could feel himself wanting to unload so he stopped her.

"Hang on, Baby," he panted loudly, "…hang on a minute."

Trista chuckled slightly knowing she was driving him wild and making him out of control.

He slid his arms around her soft, slippery, body, and, as he grabbed her ass, he pushed her hard against his wet body. He moved his mouth to hers, kissed her hard, and let his fingers swim through her wet hair. Trista and Warrick breathed heavily into each other's mouths before he spun her around and bent her over. Trista gripped the faucet handles to hold her steady while Warrick gripped her hips and began giving her as much of himself as he possibly could. He pounded into her and her screams echoed against the shower walls making Warrick lose himself completely. He normally could control when he cums but Trista had his mind, and because of that, his control over it was lost in her screams. Warrick nearly came deep inside her but at the last second he pulled out and came on her back where the water swept it away.

"I'm sorry, Trist, I, uh, I normally…uh," he stuttered trying to explain that he normally waits to get the girl off, but he couldn't get his words out.

Trista didn't say anything; she just started to laugh. She straightened up and turned toward him. She leaned up and kissed him seductively, licking his lips with her tongue.

"No worries, Tough Guy," she continued to laugh as she spoke, " you got me off twice already."

Warrick stared at her in shock and felt a sudden sense of pride, before he started to laugh too.

* * *

After they dressed and got themselves put back together, Warrick looked over at Trista.

"Hey, it's almost 5:00 in the morning, do you, uh, would ya want to stay here? Or do you still want me to drive you back to Jules'?" he asked hoping she would want to stay. He was shocked that he felt that way but he did.

"Oh, no, no, can you just take me to get my car now? I, um, I just wanna go home and get some sleep," she said wanting to get out of there fast.

"You can sleep here… if ya want," he offered.

"Nah, thanks, but, no, I just want to go home to my own bed…so..uh…let's go…get moving, Jack ass," she said trying to throw in a typical insult to him.

Trista had no intention on overstaying her welcome. She was not going to be the "clingy" type girl. No way. She wanted out of Warrick Brown's house, and she wanted out now.

Warrick furrowed his brow a bit. He usually had to find excuses to get a chick **out**, and here he was not only asking her to stay but **she **was refusing his offer. He had to make a conscience effort to make sure his mouth didn't fall open.

* * *

Warrick drove Trista back to Jules' house. They drove in silence still shocked by their unexpected soon as he pulled up in front of the Stokes' residence, she unbuckled her seatbelt and grabbed her purse off the floor of his truck.

Trista took a deep breath, got out of Warrick's truck and was about to slam the door when she heard him call to her.

"Trist, listen, maybe…" he began.

"Rick? _**Shut up and remember this**_…" she looked him in the eyes, "we tell **NO ONE**!" she pointed at him, slammed his door, and scurried up to Jules' door to get her stuff.

Warrick stared, completely stunned. What he actually wanted to do was get one last kiss from her before she bolted. What he wanted to say was "maybe he could give her a call or maybe get together again soon." He wanted to tell her that she was incredible. But, he didn't even get to tell her 'goodbye'.

As Trista waited for Brett to answer the door she tapped her hand on her leg nervously and sighed loudly. She was so glad Jules wasn't home yet. She feared Jules would take one look at her and know that she just banged Warrick. She felt sweat form on her brow. She bit the inside of her cheek and mumbled with urgency, "Open the door, Brett, open the doooor."

She wanted to hurry up and get inside, away from Warrick's stare. She wanted to get away from him as soon as she could. She didn't want to hear Warrick apologize or tell her "maybe we should just forget this ever happened" or whatever it was he might say. Trista just didn't want to hear that right now. She knew Warrick. She's known Warrick for a long time and he has always been a player. And that was all fine and good, but right now, she just didn't want to hear him tell her something he didn't mean just to pacify her. No way. She wouldn't allow it. She wanted to look at it as a one time thing. Just great sex - period. She would just leave it at that and no one would have to know about it. She didn't want to hear any excuses. She didn't want to hear any bullshit.

She already had that happen to her tonight… she had already heard bullshit...only it came from her best friend.


	47. Faith, Hope & Love

I friggen do not own CSI and do not mean to imply that I do. I do not own their characters...only my own.

Rated K - nothing objectionable.

**I got a lovely review from someone new so I thought I would send a little Nick & Jules their way.**

**Just a little fluffy chapter that will move us forward.**

**It will show us what is going on in Jules' and Nick's mind after Warrick and Trista left the Bellagio.**

**PLEASE keep reading, and reviewing for me. **

**I cannot thank the faithful reviewers enough! **

**And the lurkers should thank you too, because without your reviews...my brain turns to oatmeal and this story might have outright STALLED! **

**** Oh, and I am glad some of you wrote to tell me you like the twist of Warrick & Trista ;oP **  
**

* * *

The sun was just coming up and trying to squeeze into the big window of Room 710. Jules lay quietly next to Nick who was sleeping soundly. She watched him sleeping for a little while. She loved to do that, he was just so sweet as he slept. After a little while Jules rolled onto her back, looked up at the ceiling, and watched the fan blades spin around with her thoughts. She didn't want to get up and leave Nick right now, but she knew she would have to slip from his arms and go back home soon. She wanted to be home when her little girl woke up. She had something she wanted to tell her.

Jules smiled thinking about how Brett would probably be asleep in his Hugh Hefner pajamas that he likes to wear, when she sneaked back in, but once he got over the shock of her arriving, he would smile, hug her, and tell her that she and Nick were soul mates and would be together for sure. Brett was always the romantic. He was also always a good friend.

She wasn't sure how she would explain to her brother and Trista what it was that would make her ignore all the evidence against Nick and instead stand by his side. She knew it sounded insane. If this was someone else she too would tell them the very same thing Trista, her brother, and all of her other friends were saying: _"Nick is a cheat. He fucked around on you and you are a stupid idiot to even go back with him." _Of course that is what anyone would say. And they would be right…_**if it were true**_. But, despite everything proving he is a cheating liar, her heart refused to believe it. This was Nick. Her Nick. And something just didn't seem right. She knew him well. She knew his heart…she should, he gave it to her years ago.

Jules decided she would find out the truth one way or the other and she would know the real truth when it hit her. Call it denial, call it what you want, but there was no way she was going to walk away from a man that she loved so much. Nick had looked her in the eyes, and she believed him. His eyes wouldn't lie to her, and neither would his heart. She couldn't exactly explain that to too many people, but it didn't matter, she was going to move forward. She was going to shut out the voices and the visions. She witnessed his genuine tears and she felt the life they breathed into one another.

Jules was truly sorry to disappoint her best friend and brother. She was sorry she felt she had to lie to them both. She was certainly sorry Nick punched Warrick in the face from the heated words Warrick threw at them. But, Jules knew what she needed to do. It was time; she wanted Nick to come back home. She wanted him back in their house, in her bed, at their kitchen table… Nick Stokes belonged with his family and it really didn't matter what her brother thought, what her best friend thought, or what anyone thought. His place was with her and Emma and if people thought she was stupid or an idiot, well, it just really didn't matter. She knew what was best for her family and it wasn't up for discussion anymore.

Jules decided she and Nick needed to have a talk sometime today, before he went into work, about him coming home. As she slipped quietly out of bed she quickly got dressed and wrote her handsome husband a note.

_**Hey Handsome,**_

_**I wanted to go home before Em wakes up. **_

_**Let's plan on getting together for lunch today…all 3 of us. **_

_**There are some things we need to talk about.**_

_**Call me later.**_

_**I love you…always.**_

_**~Jules**_

* * *

His arm reached out for her but all it felt was the empty place where his wife had slept only hours earlier. Nick rubbed his hands over his face a few times before stretching his body and neck back, and yawning loudly. He looked and saw her side of the bed was empty and he knew Jules had gone home to be there when their daughter woke up. He understood. He wished it was him that could be there when his baby woke up. Nick smiled at the thought of the sound Emma's little feet make on the hardwood floor when she runs down the hall to their room.

_"God she is so adorable,"_ he said out loud as he yawned again.

Nick thought about Warrick's behavior last night and he shook his head while he stared up at the ceiling.

"_Protecting your sister is one thing, but stay the fuck out of my marriage, Bro, or I will beat your ass down again,"_ he thought silently.

He loved his brother-in-law but sometimes the bond Warrick shared with Jules made him crazy. He knew how it was with Warrick and his sister even before he and Jules began dating, and he understood. He knew they had to look out for each other growing up, and they were all they had in the world right from the start. He understood and he thought it was great, for the most part, but sometimes, it just wore on his nerves. It was just a normal reaction, he believed.

He turned his thoughts away from Warrick and onto Jules.

He knew without a shadow of a doubt that Jules truly was his other half. They were the best part of each other and he never took for granted how blessed he was to have found her. He always told her that she was everything he didn't even know he wanted... until she found him.

Nick put his hands behind his head and smiled up at the ceiling. He smiled just thinking about how Jules was willing to look past the blatantly incriminating evidence to stand by him. She trusted him even when it looked like he wasn't trustworthy. Jules wasn't staying with him because he was found innocent, she was staying with him because she believed in him no matter what the evidence said. She assured him that she knew the **real **him…she had met his soul and no one could pull them apart. She has told him that all throughout their relationship, and she continues to believe it still.

Nick stared up at the ceiling thinking about how much he loves his wife, thinking about the incredible faith Jules has in him, and the thought alone touched him so deeply, it actually made the tough CSI want to cry.


	48. After Shock

For the millionth time…I do not own CSI!

Rated T for language and sexual innuendos.

*** Short Warrick Only Chapter ***

**Just some of Warrick's thoughts and reasoning. his rationale and his ideas that are running through his head before he finally succumbs to sleep. **

**Hmmmm, I wonder what his dreams would be about that night. I bet I can guess!**

**Did you notice I wrote a couple chapters? It's because some of you took some time to send me some words of encouragement. **

**I read those reviews and I write faster and more fluently. **

**Don't know why that is but it is…so take a minute and review if you want a better story. It's in your hands!**

**Now, without further ado, go ahead and take a spin inside Warrick's brain and listen to his thoughts. Enjoy!**

* * *

It wasn't until he pulled into his driveway that Warrick realized he had driven all the way home without music playing. Warrick always listened to music. But today it just never dawned him to reach over and turn the radio on. He was just so shocked by everything that transpired that he drove in silence thinking about nothing else but what happened last night. He was shocked about so many things. Baby Girl lied to him. He was punched in the face by Nick. He fucked Trista and it turned out to be the best sex he ever had. And, he was actually shocked that she ditched him; he asked her to stay and she blew out of there like the house was on fire. She did to _**HIM **_what he usually does to the Honeys he shows a good time. All of it was mind blowing.

Warrick unlocked his front door and went inside feeling exhausted. As he took off his shoes and put them in the closet, he stared over at the couch. The cushions were in disarray, the throw pillows on the floor, and even the coffee table was slanted away from the couch. He looked over at the chair in the corner of the room and noticed Trista's jacket. He smiled when he saw it. _"Typical, you and my sister, man…you leave shit everywhere," _he thought to himself. Warrick yawned as he walked into his kitchen and he sighed with annoyance when his feet stuck to the floor.

_"Fuckin' Lemonade_," he grumbled.

As he sprayed the floor with cleaner and began wiping it up, he couldn't help but replay what exactly happened in this kitchen and how the lemonade got on the floor to begin with.

"_I fucked Trista? No. Seriously? Me and Trista? **Trisssssttaaa**_?" he kept saying in a shocked tone over and over.

Warrick may have been shocked but he was also very intrigued. He didn't want to be, but she invaded his thoughts. The sex he had with her was hot and intense. They were heated and they both went with it. When their lips touched each other there was no going back; they were lightening in a bottle.

"_That girl is on fire…that girl can move…that girl is smoking…Oh my God, that girl is Trista…fuckin' TRISTA!"_ he couldn't get past the shock. He was also getting a hard-on just from thinking about having sex with her and how much they got off on each other.

Warrick finished wiping up the puddle of lemonade and he shook the thoughts of his sex romp out of his head. Warrick threw the wet paper towels into the trash and walked upstairs to go to bed. He had a rough night and he needed to sleep. Heading into the bathroom first he smirked at the water on the floor. He knew why it was there.

"Dayuuummmm, that girl is _**mad **_**crazy**," he shook his head and looked in the mirror.

He winced when he saw the swollen mark on his cheek.

"_Fucker gave me a good shot_," he admitted silently to himself.

Warrick finished up in the bathroom and crawled into bed. He stared at the ceiling and thought about what he said to Nick to make him so angry that he knocked him a shot that took him down to the ground. He was wrong for bringing Emma into it. Dead wrong. And he knew it. His mind came to understand why his sister lied to him. He realized it wasn't like she and Nick were secretly dating and she was sneaking around with him. She was meeting with her husband…her husband… because she wasn't ready to take him back home yet. She wasn't ready for that step and she wasn't ready to upset him or her friends. She would feel like a fool if she was wrong. She wouldn't want to disregard his or her friends' feelings about what went on. He knew his sister would never in a million years lie to him if it wasn't something she thought would be for the best. They had that kind of relationship. They always had.

Warrick began to think about Nick and the blonde bombshell he was hooking up with. His blood began to boil thinking about him messing around on his sister. He began to remember when he fought with Nick over Jules years earlier. He remembered how hard those two fought to be together. He remembered how Nick sat at Jules' bedside for over a month…never leaving her…always touching her…talking to her…even though Jules wasn't even conscious or aware of it. He knew how Nick cried when she was in that coma. He never let on to Nick that he knew, usually, if he came into the room and saw Nick crying and begging Jules to wake up, he would back up out of the room to give him time to compose himself. He remembered the pain of nearly losing his sister and how he and Nick felt that pain together.

Warrick turned over and stared at the wall. He thought about what Nick said. About how he "remembers nothing" about it. Nick swore up and down that he knows absolutely _**nothing **_about it. He never said he didn't do it or that he made a mistake. He said he didn't remember. He could have said anything but he stuck to the story that he can't remember any of it. That made Warrick think that maybe there was some foul play involved. He wasn't sure if he was buying any of it, but it would be worth a shot to look into it. After all, he owes Nick that much, if for nothing else than for dragging Emma's name into the fight.

He made a mental note to run Brooke Latham's name through the system when he went into work later. He knew Nick said she was a Southern Belle brought up by rigid parents and she would **never **be in the system but he decided he would just give it a try anyway. Stranger things have happened and Nick just wasn't thinking clearly enough tto realize that. So, he would have to do it for him.

Warrick didn't realize that those were his last thoughts before his eyes drooped and his breathing became shallow as he sailed off into his dreams.


	49. Ready & Waiting

I don't own CSI!

Rated T maybe M

**You didn't think Brooke wouldn't have to finish what Jimmy Cole started, did you?**

**Jolene Parker would make sure she followed through. **

**After all, a deal is a deal, right?  
**

* * *

Brooke headed from the airport and back into the city that she left behind. She wasn't sure if she was sick to be there or if she was thrilled to be seeing Nick again. _"I don't care what you say, Nicky, we had something good, we were a couple just like the others in our crew…we loved each other,"_ she said out loud to herself, "_I know deep down you know it too…you have to…you just have to_."

"What's that, Honey?" the cab driver yelled back at her.

"Nothing, nothing, just go to the Bellagio," she mumbled back at the cab driver.

Once the cab pulled in the front of the hotel, Brooke threw him his money and slammed the door.

Brooke looked around the big city and breathed in the night air. She was really here. This was it. The same city she left behind…the same city she left her heart in…and now, she was back to retrieve it.

Brook had no sooner walked into the Bellagio lobby when her phone rang almost immediately.

"Hello?" she said confused as she picked up her cell phone.

"You look sweet, Doll, I like your outfit," Jolene laughed.

Brooke was startled and looked around spotting Jolene Parker on the velvet couch drinking a scotch and soda.

"No, no, don't look at me, Doll, keep moving, ya never know who might be walking around," she informed. "Go to the front desk and get yourself a room. I will meet you up there as soon as you get your key."

"Yes, okay, okay," she agreed fearfully, hoping she wasn't going to be forced to eat pussy if Jolene came up to her room tonight. She grew very worried.

"We need to talk first. I have a lot of information to share with you. I want this to go smoothly and no fuck ups…for both our sakes. When Cole isn't happy…no one is happy." she explained civilly.

"I understand," she whispered as she began checking in.

Once Brooke checked herself in, she told Jolene her floor and room number. Jolene smirked and told her she would meet her up there in ten minutes and make sure she didn't make her wait out in the hallway.

Brooke wasn't sure how long she would be in Las Vegas. She wasn't actually sure of anything. She just knew she was going to find out information from that crazy bitch Jolene and she was going to have to follow through with everything if she didn't want to get hurt.

Brooke bit her nails as she waited for the knock at the door. She was truly out of her league with these people. She began to wonder if her revenge on Nick for dumping her so cruelly was worth this kind of fear. The money was certainly fantastic. She never made ten grand this fast even when she was dancing her tail off for the perverts of Las Vegas. Yes, the money was a huge temptation but it was getting even with Nick that was the motivation that drove her to this place in her life.

She thought back to her college days. She thought back to watching her best friends all together and wanting so badly to have Nick look at her the way the other couples looked at each other. It wasn't fair. She was the pretties one out of the group and the only one that had to hang on Nick to get the attention she deserved. It just wasn't right. But when she and Nick started hooking up she was sure it would be the beginning of a loving relationship. True, he told her he didn't want more and he would understand if she didn't want to be just "friends with benefits", but she knew it would grow into more if he just gave it a chance. He was such a good guy too. He made her feel like it was more. He lit candles and paid for dinner when they went out all together. It felt like they were a couple…the only thing that kept them from actually being a couple was Nick's reluctance and insistence that they just keep things the way they were. He told her that he loved her but he always added that annoying ending…"as a friend." She hated when he said that. She knew he didn't mean it. He couldn't mean it. They had amazing sex. He was always so passionate when they made love. He never called it making love which annoyed her too. He always called it just "sex", or "hooking up", or "Hey Brooke, wanna get busy?" She sighed at the memory.

She remembered following him to Las Vegas. How he looked at her when she showed up at his door. He was not as happy to see her as she had hoped. She seethed with anger at the thought of him sitting her down at his table and explaining to her that he wanted a different life now. He wanted to make a change and, while they could still be friends, he wasn't interested in anything more. "_How could you walk away from me, Nicky! How could you let what we had go? It could have been so beautiful…if you just gave us a chance."_

Brooke was getting upset just thinking about how she let him ruin her life. How she pretended to be a top show girl when the truth was she was fired soon after getting her job. She had no money. She couldn't pay her rent. She had nothing. She had been counting on a relationship with Nick and he shot her down flat. It wasn't fair what he did to her and it was about time he felt how it feels to be ruined. It was about time that Nick Stokes felt how it feels to lose everything that matters most to him.

What Nick needed to understand that they were meant to be and they had been since college. He needed to dump his mistakes. He needed to dump that baggage he called a family. He needed to pick up where they left off and make a brand new start. She would even accept his daughter as her own so long as he got rid of that whore he married. It just wouldn't be fair to not rekindle what they had.

* * *

Brooke was startled from her thoughts when she heard the know at her door. She froze with fear. She wasn't sure how to handle these people. They were so scary. She thought she was tough, after all she made it on the streets of Las Vegas, but these people, these people were a whole different breed. She was definitely not in her league and that frightened her.

Brooke walked slowly to the door and peeked out the peephole even though she knew who it would be. She opened the door to Jolene Parker who came inside without waiting for an invitation.

"I told you not to make me wait in the hall, Doll," Jolene said as she walked past her and leaned against the dresser leering at her.

"I didn't! You just knocked for God's sake!" she told her trying to sound unafraid.

"Little lady, I don't know who you think you're talking to but you might want to rethink that tone," she scanned her up and down feeling that power that turned her on.

Brooke ignored her and leaned against the wall and kept her eyes at her feet.

"Ok," I am willing to give you some ideas. You need to have a seat and let me tell you what the deal is. You need to pay attention too because I don't repeat myself, got it?" she waited for Brooke to reply. Once she heard her say "yes" she continued, "Now here is what you need to know about what has been happening with the CSI and his bitch," she began filling Brooke in immediately on the situation at hand. "and here is what I think you should do to break up Dumb and Dumber."

Brooke was sure to listen carefully and prepare herself for doing exactly as she was told.

She had no choice but to do what she was told. She was in deep. She was in with the wrong people. So, she followed directions.

And by the time early morning came…she was prepared.


	50. The Connection

CSI is not mine. period.

Rated T

**Warrick keeps his promise and checks to see if Brooke Latham is in the system. **

**Is she?  
**

**This chapter includes Warrick, Nick, Greg, Catherine and Archie.**

**Let's hope Nick will finally get closer to finding out the truth.**

**Please review because I am seriously losing focus and could use some of your thoughts.**

**Want a good story? REVIEW because it works!**

* * *

Waiting for the light to turn green, he yawned loudly into the back of his hand. He had just left work and was anxious to get some sleep. Nick knew he would be meeting Jules later and he wanted to get some rest in so he could spend time with her. He wanted to take her out tonight. Just as he grabbed his cell phone to call her, his phone rang in his hand. He picked it up quickly without looking at the ID.

"Stokes," he said as usual.

"Hey, Nick, it's Warrick," he began, "Listen, man…"

"Uh huh," Nick mumbled waiting for what his brother-in-law had to say this time.

"I know..." Warrick began before getting cut off.

"Look, Rick, if you are expecting me to apologize for hitting you then you may as well hang up now, cause it ain't gonna happen. You pushed me too far," he spoke coldly.

"I know, I know you're thinking I am gonna argue with you out about that, but I'm not, Man. I know I was…well, I was outta line and I'm sorry. I've been thinking a lot about my sister believing in you…you telling me I should listen to you and so…," he paused hearing only silence and wondered if Nick was still there, "Nick? You still there?"

"Yea, I'm here," he said flatly, and intently listening to Warrick's apology. "I'm listening."

"Well, man, I just needed to ask you…you told me her name was Brooke Latham, right?" he asked unsure. " **L-A-T-H-A-M**?" he spelled it out.

"Yeah, that's right, why?" Nick asked squinting his eyes and wondering where he was going with this.

"Well, you said you think something is wrong…that you don't remember any of it," Warrick explained.

"Yyyep, that's what I am sayin'," Nick answered coldly.

"Well, I was sittin' in the lab tonight, and just for the heck of it, I ran her through the system. I know, I know, you told Greg she wouldn't be in there because she has never been in trouble… but I ran her anyway," Warrick explained.

Nick listened, "Yeah? And?"

"She's in here, Nick," he told him.

"**WHAT**? For what?" Nick said shocked out of his mind.

The Brooke Latham he knew never had a run in with the law in her life. In fact, the Brooke he knew was a prissy, little, southern, gal.

"Drunk and Disorderly, DUI, Assault on an officer, . …and it says she had a drunken brawl with some dude outside Cheetah's," he revealed.

"The seedy strip joint? On Western Avenue?" Nick jerked his head back surprised.

'The one and only…apparently she was a dancer there, Nick." Warrick informed him.

"Get the fuck outta here, Warrick…**are you sure**? You ran BROOKE LATHAM… **L A T H A M**?" he said confused.

_Brooke was a Show Girl _**not**_ a stripper in a seedy strip bar_, Nick remembered silently.

"I do this for a living, Nick…and shockingly I know how to spell," he shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah…I know, sorry, I'm just blown a way, man. Blown fuckin away!" he shook his head in disbelief. "Listen, Rick, thank you…thank you…it means a lot, man," Nick said truly grateful.

**Finally**, he felt like he had his best friend willing to stop and think about what he was saying. He knew that was hard for Warrick because Warrick's first instinct has ALWAYS been to protect Jules. He knew that Warrick seeing Jules cry would be like running fire through his veins. Part of him understood that, but the other part of him felt let down. He was just happy that _**finally **_Warrick was stepping up to the plate and listening to him.

"Yeah, man, listen…it still doesn't prove anything. It only shows you she ain't an angel...she's no innocent. But, Nick, I swear to God, if I find out you are just covering your ass, brother…if this IS exactly what it looks like…I'll have to kill you," he chuckles only half kidding. "But I do wanna tell you again … I am sorry for what I said. I am sorry for bringing Tiny into it," he paused. "And trust me, brother, I do want to clear your name. I hate wanting to kill you all the time," he told him. He was actually serious about feeling like he wanted to strangle him to death.

Nick sighed loudly, "Hey, whatever it takes, man… I want my name cleared. And I want my life back...I want my family back."

"Hey, Nick?" Warrick said calmly, "Can you bring me those pictures so I can dust them to see if there are any prints on them. Now that we know she's in the system let's see if we can't get a match. And if it's not her, well maybe we can at least find out who took them."

Nick was about to answer him and tell him he would be right there but Warrick spoke to someone in the background.

"_Yeah..yeah, okay, I'll ask him, hold up_..."Warrick says before putting his mouth back to the phone. "Hey Nick, Sanders just told me that he will run the envelope if you have it. Was it sealed?" he asked Nick.

"Yes…I'm turning my car around now," he said making an illegal U-Turn on the Sunset Strip and headed back to the Lab. "And Warrick…have faith, I **love **your sister, I **love **my daughter, my family, all of it, I love them way too much to lose it all on a drunken weekend. I know myself better than that…I don't care what the proof is showing," he said adamantly.

"Just come back to the lab…bring everything. We'll be waiting for you," Warrick told him and hung up.

Walking quickly down the hallway of the LVPD Crime Lab, Nick walked straight to Greg Sander's lab and hoped he and Warrick would be in there so he wouldn't have to search the building for them. Nick sighed a breath of relief when he saw Greg in the lab, hovered over a microscope with his music blaring.

"Greg!" Nick yelled over the music.

Greg looked back and rolled his chair over to his radio and turned it off.

"You got them?" he nodded.

"You know it," Nick nodded back handing the envelope to his friend.

Greg went right to work. He swabbed the seal on the envelope immediately.

Nick looked around and asked Greg where Warrick went.

"He is coming right back…he went for the Red Creeper in Grissom's office," he smirked.

They both knew Grissom swore there was no better print powder. Nick felt relieved knowing it was Warrick's small way of showing Nick he plans on digging deep for him. He knew Warrick well and he knew that it was his way of telling him there will be no stone unturned.

Nick nodded happily and breathed out a loud breath of air.

"At least if we find anything, now we will have something to compare it to," Nick looked over at Greg who was running the test.

"True. That's why he ran her…just in case…" Greg nodded.

"I just never in a million years…I guess I just haven't been thinking right. I should have just ran her…what is wrong with me?" he shook his head with disgust.

"Hey, you have had a lot on your plate, man, it's just what happens sometimes," he put his hand on Nick's shoulder hoping to make him feel less guilty for not checking the database sooner, "So, it's done now…and if there are prints, we'll run them against hers…without a comparison, man, I wouldn't be able to help you, but now we have something to go on, so it's all good. It's cool," he nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah," he paused, "I just never in a million years thought…wow, Brooke…I still can't believe it," Nick shook his head and began preparing the photos for dusting.

Warrick strolled in with a little glass jar filled with a red powder.

"Let me see what ya got," he said to Nick as he walked in.

They nodded at each other…their way of saying "sorry" about the fight.

As Warrick and Nick leaned in and dusted photos, Greg looked over at them and noticed Nick's knuckles were banged up a bit. He looked back up at Warrick and looked again at that bruise on his face.

"So, Rick, you banged your face on a rafter yesterday? Dusting for prints?" he said squinting his eyes.

Warrick looked over at Greg. Nick's head jerked up and he stared at him too.

"Ohhh kaaaay, I will leave it alone," Sanders said and continued running the DNA tests.

Once Nick was finished dusting and lifting prints from the photos, he scooped them up and put them in a pile. Holding them in his hand he looked over at Greg and Warrick.

"Rick, can you run the prints through CODIS for me? I'm gonna take these down to Catherine. I want her to look over them while we wait for the tests. Maybe fresh eyes can see something we missed. I don't know what, but what the hell, I didn't think Brooke would be in the system either and look how that turned out!" he was still shaking his head about that revelation.

"I'll text you as soon as DNA results come in," Greg answered as Nick was already half way out the door.

"Me too on the prints," Warrick nodded and collected the lifts.

"Right!" he yelled back already half way out the door.

* * *

Catherine and Nick sat side by side with the pictures spread out across the table. Catherine grabbed her red marker and made an arrow pointing to a few things before sliding it over to Nick.

"What?" he asked looking at her and then back down at it.

"Look at your hands, Nick," she said with her head down still looking at the other picture.

"What? What do ya mean?' he grimaced.

"What do I mean? I mean your hands…the ones on her breasts," she said seriously looking up at him.

Nick winced at the sight of his hands on anyone's breasts other than Jules'.

"Yeah, thanks for pointing that out, Catherine" he grumbled.

"No, No, Nicky!" she smacked his shoulder, " Look at how **she **is holding them. You aren't holding her breasts, **she **is holding your hands _**to her**_."

"Yeah? So…" he tilted his head and wondered where she was going with that.

"You aren't grabbing at them...she put your hands there. And, look at your face…your eyes aren't open. You're passed out, Nicky, I can tell with the loop…here you look," she handed him the magnifying loop.

Nick looks through it and it instantly blows up his face and he can see his eyes closed and his face has no emotion…he wasn't sure but, he could very well be out cold.

He looks up at Catherine, and his mouth falls open.

The two of them hunker over the next picture, and again Nick is not involved in the act. If anything, Brooke is doing all the work.

"Nick, her hair is covering your face as she is supposedly kissing you. I don't see any pictures that have you groping her. And unless you're a cold fish in the sack, Nicky, that just doesn't seem normal to me," she smiled a closed mouth smile at him.

Nick nods slowly thinking hard about what she was saying.

"Catherine, I wanna bring this one to Archie…you see that?" he says slowly pointing to the fuzzy reflection in the mirror.

Catherine looks up at him and nods.

"I sure do, Nicky. I sure do."

Nick was almost out the door as she confirmed it.

* * *

Nearly running down the hall to bring the photo to Archie, Nick made it there in record speed.

"Whoa, Stokes, what's up?" Archie said startled by Nick's urgency.

"Can you blow this image up? I need to see that reflection," He asked.

"Right now? I have this case…" he begins to tell Nick.

"No, no, Arch, it's a favor…it's, um, it's for **ME**" he pleads with him and his face shows it. "This is mine."

"**OH**! Oh, yeah, no problem," he said taking it from Nick and scanning the picture into his computer.

"Um, Nick?" Archie says slowly looking closely at the image.

"Yeah?" he looked up.

"Can I ask who that smoking' hot blond is that is on top of you?" Archie looked at Nick with his eyes wide.

"Oh man, you don't even want to know…how about I fill you in another time?" Nick shook his head.

Archie laughs slightly under his breath wondering if Nick's wife knows about these pictures.

"Whaddya got, Arch?" he asked impatiently.

"Wait, Nick, let me clean up the image," Archie said changing the pixels to made the image come to life.

The image comes in clearly and it is of a young woman.

"I don't know her. I have no idea who the hell that is," Nick scratched his head. "We didn't go out with her that night. She wasn't even there with us!"

"She's hot too." Archie nodded.

Nick ignored the comment, he was too busy thinking about who she was and if she wasn't hanging out with them then how did she get in a room with him and Brooke?

"Can you blow up my face?" he asked staring at the image.

"Ask and you shall receive,my friend," the tech said as he worked his magic.

With his face blown up he could see that Catherine was right…there was no participation and if Nick was purposely hooking up with anyone, he would be heavily involved. Nick was not a lifeless lover. He had never been a "dead fish" in his life.

As Nick asked Archie to print him out a copy of each blown up face he felt his phone alert him of a text.

He quickly looked at it and smiled.

**Thumbs up. **

**Get back here.**

**Greg**

* * *

"We got a hit, Nick," Greg nodded looking over at him, "It's her. Brook's prints are all over those pictures.

"I cannot fucking believe her! I knew she had to have something to do with this mess. I had a gut feeling. Why would she want to fuck up my marriage though, man?" Nick asked knowing neither Greg nor Warrick had an answer. "what about the other prints I lifted? I guess their photo lab techs' prints, maybe?"

"Still running, but I think I am gonna get the answer that will knock you on your ass, buddy," Greg rolled his chair over to Nick.

"Uh, Nick…You might want to sit down for this one," Warrick said with his face looking shocked and angry.

"What? _**WHY**_?" Nick gave him a puzzled look.

"Greg got the DNA from the envelope seal…it's not Brooke's, Nick," he tread softly knowing Nick just might collapse when he hears who was a match.

"Just tell me, Sanders…stop fucking around," he waved his hands as if to hurry him along.

Warrick held Nick by the shoulder and looked him dead in the face.

"Nick, it's Jolene Parker…her DNA is all over it. Jules' mother sent them, Man," Warrick said with his own face turning red with fury.

Nick took the seat Greg had offered him only minutes ago and managed to sit down. Jolene? She hasn't given up? She is still trying to make Jules' life miserable? How could this be? **WHY**? What did Jules ever do to her but be born?" Nick said heartbroken for his wife.

"What I would like to know is_** HOW THE HELL BROOKE KNOWS JOLENE PARKER**_!" Warrick couldn't help but yell.

"I'm guessing Strip Club? CODIS has her prints…she was mixed up with all that garbage," Greg nodded.

"Oh my God. I don't fucking believe it," Nick covered his eyes with his hand and shook his hand, "…I swear to God I feel sick."

Greg had a quizzical look come across his face. "Nick… how do you know she didn't get you fucked up enough that you actually did wind up getting with her? Would Jules…um…?" Greg paused not wanting to be the one to ask if Jules would forgive him or be able to get the idea of him having sex Brooke out of her head.

Warrick looked over at Nick wondering that same question.

"One thing at a time, Sanders, please! I gotta just sit with this a second," he scooped up the pictures and threw them into the manila envelope. He stood up but still braced his hand on the table.

Warrick and Nick looked at each other in disbelief at the idea of Brooke and Jolene being in cahoots with one another. It took them awhile for the information to be absorbed. It was just too mind blowing for both of them.

Finally, Warrick looked at Nick.

"Somebody has to tell Jules that her mother isn't really dead," Warrick covered his face with both hands, pressing them against his head.

"I was thinking the same thing, man…my stomach is in knots," he held his stomach briefly. "We should have never lied to her, man," Nick said squeezing his mouth with his hand.

"Yeah, but I wanted to protect her," he admitted softly.

"Hmm, kinda what she did to you with me?" he raised his eyebrow at his brother in law.

Warrick took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

...He had no defense.


	51. Unbelievable

I do not own CSI or it's characters.

Rated T - for language.

**Seriously? Only 2 or 3 reviews? You guys are killing me! **

**I write better with reviews and encouragement.**

**Don't cry to me when the ending of this story sucks. Just sayin'.**

**Ok, ok, the boys are still in the lab. **

**I am sure you all know what Greg will be telling Nick and Warrick once the machine beeps and CODIS spits out the results of the next set of prints.**

**Oh Boy.**

**Will write for Reviews! Will write for reviews! Will write for reviews...long ones are especially appreciated ;o)**

* * *

Chapter 51: Unbelievable

Nothing but the whirl of machines and low beeping could be heard in the lab as all three men stood at the table. Greg didn't know what to say so he kept quietly working. Nick and Warrick were out of their minds with shock and could barely think let alone talk. Greg silently rolled his chair back over to the computer and scanned in the next print they lifted into CODIS. The computer beeped loudly as the print got a hit nearly instantly.

'**HOLY… FUCKING… SHIT**!" Greg nearly shattered the glass walls of the lab from his scream.

Nick jumped and Warrick yelled, "What the fuck is wrong with you, man! Scared the fucking shit outta me!"

Neither Nick nor Warrick were expecting the sudden outburst.

Greg ignored the reprimand. He was too shocked and horrified about the results staring him in the face. He also knew that if his friends were blown away about Jolene Parker, then this would send them over the edge for sure.

"Ok, both of you…no, now I mean it…**both **of you need to find a chair and sit in it," Greg advised putting his palms up facing them.

"Sanders? Just tell me what you got? How much worse can it be, man, really?" Nick said feeling weary from the last discovery.

"Don't fuck with me Greg…" Warrick glared unsure of what bomb could be dropped, "You got a hit and I wanna know who it is!"

"I got a hit," he said swallowing very hard.

"Well, yeah, we figured that out already…care to share it with us now?" Warrick probes impatiently.

"Ok, I can run it again but…" he starts slowly.

"**GREG, PLEASE**!" Nick yells.

"The prints…um…they uh…the prints belong to James Cole," he winced as he said it knowing the eruption that would take place.

Warrick silently and calmly walked over to the door, placed his hand on the door frame and leaned over with his other hand braced on his thigh. Every part of him wanted to start smashing things, but he just couldn't move.

Greg Sanders didn't know whether to run or duck for cover just from the look on his friends' faces. Instead, he just got up from his chair and rolled it back over to Nick.

Nick slowly took the seat…and he sat down feeling completely… immobilized.

* * *

After breathing out a loud, slow breath of air, Warrick stood upright.

"I don't get it, man, that dude is in jail!" Warrick said before finally walking back over to the table. "He's not out, right?" he said nervously.

"No, no way, he's still in there. I'll be notified when he is up for parole," Nick said confidently as he continued to shake his head slowly in disbelief.

Jimmy Cole caused so much pain in their lives already and it sickened Nick to think that he could actually still be able to cause so much damage even behind bars. Nick didn't think Cole could be any more mentally unstable than he already showed himself to be, but apparently Nick was wrong because the man was still hell bent on making their lives miserable. He had some kind of sick obsession with Jules that he wouldn't let go of. It was absolutely insane. He and Jules have been married for nearly five years and still Cole had this obsession. Nick thought for sure after everything that happened, including Cole being sent to prison, combined with Nick and Jules' marriage, and the birth of their daughter that those things alone would make Jimmy know it was never going to happen for him and Jules. She had moved on. She had made it clear. She married Nick and began a family with him.

Greg watched as Nick obviously was deep in thought. He felt horrible for his friends.

"Do you want me to run it again?" Greg asked sympathetically.

"Nah, Greg. We know it ain't wrong, thanks, man," Warrick nodded looking absolutely sick.

Nick sighed loudly before looking over at Warrick.

"Do you believe me now or do you still think this was a drunken hook-up?" he stared at him.

Warrick closed his eyes and nodded slowly. "I believe ya, man. No doubt. Those two scumbags are in this mess…man…I don't even know what to say," he ran his hand over his face.

Nick breathed in a large breath of air and let it out slowly feeling relieved. He couldn't blame Warrick for not believing him. He absolutely looked guilty to anyone looking at the evidence. You would have to be crazy to question something like this. The proof was right there in pictures. Who would ever think that someone would purposely frame someone in this way? He shook his head slightly thinking how all the cheating men in America would be using the "framed defense" if they ever heard about this insanity.

"This is unbelievable. I don't know whether to be thrilled that you are innocent and didn't betray my sister, or insane with rage that Jolene and Cole won't leave Jules alone."

"So what do you do now?" Greg asked looking over at Nick.

"Million dollar question, Greggo, million dollar question," Nick rubbed his face hard with both hands.

* * *

Sitting in the Break Room drinking a cup of coffee and sitting silently, Warrick and Nick finally began to have a conversation.

It was Warrick who spoke first.

"He didn't break the law, you realize that. I mean we miiiiighhtt be able to get him technically through the Permanent Restraining Order but trying to prove that will be a joke," he concluded.

"I know. I know," Nick shook his head as it hung down, "Same with Jolene. Can't touch that bitch. We have nothing on her," he added.

"Nick, I hate to say this to you man, I really, really do because I know how much damage she did but…unless we can prove that Brooke drugged your ass, we have nothing to charge her with either. Harassment at best. That's about it," Warrick said feeling heartsick for his brother-in-law. "And even still…I doubt that would pan out."

"Rick, as crazy as this sounds right now, because believe me, what they did to me and Jules is so horrific, I am not even caring about what will happen to them…right now, I am just so heartbroken for Jules," he looked up at Warrick with his eyes looking sad.

"You mean about…" Warrick began.

Nick nods slowly, "Yea, about her finding out that we lied to her…that her mother is **not **dead. She is gonna wanna know why we lied to her and then we will have to tell her why. We have to tell her how we had to throw her out of her hospital room because even as she lay in a coma, that bitch Jolene was trying to connive her way into her life in case she could get some money out of her," he ran his hand over his mouth with disgust. "And then once she gets over that blow she will learn that her mother wanted to hurt her again and make her life miserable. But why, Rick? **WHY**?" Nick was obviously getting very choked up.

Warrick sighed and shook his head. He had no answer. He couldn't figure it out himself.

Nick swallowed hard and continued, "And then we won't stop pummeling her, Rick...no, after she learns we lied, her mother is indeed alive, and the bitch continues to try to hurt her for her own gain, but then...then we gotta tell he that Jimmy Cole still is able to touch her even from behind bars,"' Nick's voice grew tight, "I can't do this to her, man. I can't kick her when she is already down... she is already reeling from this Brooke nightmare," he sighed.

"_**And **_there ain't one fucking thing we can do about it…legally, I mean," Warrick sighed, " and after we beat the shit out of him last time, not to mention he is protected behind steel bars, we can't beat him down or do a thing to him without ruining our careers or getting ourselves locked up. Oh, he would love that, man," Warrick said knowing.

"So what do we do? Nothing? That's it? Just live with the fact that they tried to ruin us? Or just hold on to just knowing that they lost and Jules and I won…again?" Nick took a final gulp of his coffee.

"I will run it past Brass. I will see what he thinks about it. But other than finding evidence of a drugging, I'm not seeing a whole lot of recourse…are you?" he asked pushing in the chair.

"Nope. None," he said regrettably. "But, Rick, seriously, we have to talk about how we throw this on Jules," he winced.

"Hey, look, all she needs to know right now is we found proof that your innocent. Tell her it was Brooke, man, that's no lie. We will both tell her about Jolene Parker and Jimmy Cole after she catches her breath from this shock, okay?" he tells Nick.

"And anyway, Rick, we have no idea what role those two scumbags played in it either…**yet**," Nick thought out loud. "Yeah, I agree. Let's give her something to be happy about, for now," he said.

Nick began to smile slightly and shook his head again.

"What?" Warrick asked when he saw Nick shake his head.

"Nah, nothing, I was just thinking about Jules. About how she refused to believe what was right in front of her," Nick paused for a moment. "Would I have done that for her?" he looked at Warrick, "I mean, if I saw those pictures, I would have thought like you and Trista, I would have said 'yeah likely story, you don't remember'," he shook his head slowly. "But, she loved me through it all, man. _**How did she do that**_? How did I get so lucky? What did I do in my life to deserve someone who loves me the way she does?" he asked sincerely.

"She is definitely one of a kind…the two of you together…no doubt…definitely one of a kind, I'll give ya's that," Warrick nodded.

Warrick hopped that Nick didn't notice his head jerk up when he mentioned Trista's name. As soon as he heard her name his stomach flipped. It shocked him but it was true. He hoped it didn't show on his face.

Nick didn't notice at all. He was too busy thinking about being able to tell Jules that he had been set up. He suddenly smiled wide knowing he could now tell her she didn't have to worry or wonder anymore. He could tell her that her faith in him was accurate…he never would willingly hook up with someone. He had everything he ever wanted, ever needed, ever loved this much, all wrapped up in her. Nick took a deep breath. He would never forget how she stood by him in the end. How she refused to lose hope. That **_she came back for him_**. He would never, ever forget that.

Nick was unable to describe how it felt to be loved with that kind of love. To be trusted on faith alone. It was something he would never be able to put into words. The feeling was indescribable and it only made him love her more...if that was even possible.

"Well," Nick said standing up and walking to rinse out his mug, "I don't know about you but I am going to call my wife and tell her that she needs to meet at the hotel to…"

"Oh, hey, hey, I don't wanna know about you two in a hotel room, all right?" he grimaced.

"NO, Jackass, I am not gonna tell her this kind of news on the phone. I want to meet her," he said laughing.

Warrick laughed too. "Yeah, yeah, I hear ya. I'm just playin'" he said. "And hey, Nick…again, I'm sorry…I…"

"No, listen…I would have done the same. I get it. You and Trista were just looking out for her. I get that," Nick nodded and shook Warrick's hand as a sign of a truce and gave each other a shoulder hug.

"Thanks, man, thanks," Warrick nodded. Warrick once again hid the flip that his stomach made when Nick mentioned Trista's name.

After Nick left the Break Room Warrick leaned against the counter and finished the last bit of his coffee. He stared out into space. He thought about how his Baby Girl would react to the news. He thought about what he would like to do to Jimmy Cole and Jolene Parker.

And much to his surprise, he allowed his thoughts to turn away from the horrible revelation that was uncovered at the lab this morning. Instead, as he leaned against the counter alone in the Break Room, Warrick Brown actually…

…began thinking about Trista.


	52. Are Ya Ready?

I do not, nor have I ever owned CSI or their characters.

This is rated K

**I know, I know, you were waiting for an update...but I am slower when there are no reviews, you guys know that! **

**And I cannot believe how many people have been reading my story! I am really flattered. Thank you! Now, if only I could get reviews outta ya!**

**Now for Chapter 52! Here we go... **

**As Nick and his fellow CSI's help him find out about the conspiracy going on against Nick and Jules, **

**things are going on inside the Stokes' residence at the very same time. **

**How about we take a look at what is happening on the other side of town and from Jules' perspective?**

**Ready? Enjoy! And of course...REVIEW!**

* * *

She flipped the pancake up in the air and it landed directly onto the plate. Emma grinned widely. She always loved when her mom did that. She always wanted her to do it again even though there was only one pancake to flip.

"Ok, are ya ready? Order up, Pretty Girl!" Jules yelled out smiling at her from across the kitchen.

Jules was bringing Emma her breakfast when, as she walked it over to where her daughter was sitting, Jules squished up her face, put the plate to her nose, and smelled Emma's pancakes.

"Em, I don't think these smell right," she told her daughter almost gagging from the smell.

"Yes they do, they smell gooded!" Emma insisted and held out her hands to take the plate.

"Let _**me **_taste them first," Jules said placing it onto the table and putting a fork into it.

Emma grabbed her fork and put a bite in her mouth before her mother could.

"They good, Mommy, I promise, they very gooded," she grinned.

"Yeah, you're right, kiddo, they really are," Jules said tasting a piece.

And yet the smell of them still made her sick.

They literally made her want to throw up.

She froze for a minute with a crazy thought.

She furrowed her brow and wondered for a minute about when her last period was.

"_Oh, don't be ridiculous, it's the stress, you probably have a fricken ulcer from all of this crap going on in your life!" _she silently thought.

Jules swallowed hard and began biting her bottom lip. She didn't have time to go look at the calendar though because the phone rang at that very minute. She sighed loudly as she leaned over and grabbed the phone off the counter. Looking at the number coming up on the phone, she was actually very surprised it wasn't Nick. He usually calls her on his way home from work around this time. Instead, it was Brett.

"Hey, Good Morning!" she answered happily knowing it was him.

"Good morning, Sweet Cheeks!" he bellowed back at her.

"How come your home, Mr. Important Attorney?" she asked him.

"Because I CAN, Shugahhh!" he laughed.

"Well that's good! You're awfully cheery...are you hanging home today or would you like to come over? Orrrr are you meeting with Kurt and playing a little hooky?" she joked.

"Yes, well kinda, do you have plans today?" he asked curiously.

"Not really, just hangin' with my girl," she smiled at Emma who stuffed a chunk of pancake into her mouth.

" Wellll, I was wondering if maybe you would like to go spend the morning with Nick? I know he gets off work around now, right?" he said.

"**WHAT**? **Why**? _**What are you up to**_?" she drew out her question slowly and twisted her face up curiously.

"Well, for a few reasons, I guess. One, I think you two are made for each other. Two, I find it incredibly romantic that you found your way back to one another and well…Three, Kurt is being a total girl and wants to have some "family time". I told him we don't have a family and he suggested we take Emma to the zoo," he sighed, "and to be honest, I really could use a dose of Miss Pretty," he laughed.

"Who **ME**?" she laughed jokingly knowing he meant Emma.

"Well no, you're my _**Mrs**_. Pretty," he laughed, "but I didn't get to see her awake the other night so…what do you say? Can I play house with my man and your daughter?"

"I like the idea, actually. For a few reasons," she repeated his line before continuing with her reasons, "One: I love how you love my daughter. Two: She would love to go to the zoo. Three: I love how you have faith in me and Nicky, and Four: I love the idea of surprising him in his hotel room. Soooo, when do you want her?" she rattled her reasons off.

Emma started asking loudly, "Who go to zoo? Me go to zoo? I wanna go dair! Mommy? Who go to zoo?"

"Would it be too short of notice to swing by now?" he said hopeful.

"Nah, I can get her dressed and fix that rat's nest in no time," she told Brett as she stroked her daughter's bed head.

Emma looked up about to ask her about the zoo again but before she could, Jules smiled brightly and told her that she was going to the zoo with Uncle Brett.

"_**Me goin' to the zoooooo**_!" she squealed happily.

* * *

Her daughter was cleaned up, dressed neatly, and already standing on the living room couch looking out the window. As Brett and Kurt pulled into the driveway, Brett could see her little pig tailed head peeking over the couch and watching for him through the front window. Emma began jumping up and down on the couch and laughed with delight when she saw Brett coming to the door to get her.

"Yaw takin' me to da zoo, right Uncle Bet?" she asked jumping into his arms.

"Oh I am, I am! We are going to the zoo, my Little Lovey!" he said happy to see her, "So are ya ready?"

"I is ready!" she nodded excitedly before asking, "Mommy you comin'?" she wondered and tilted her head like her father.

"Nah," Brett answered her and pressed her nose. "It's gonna be just me, you, and my friend Kurt," he informed her.

"Kay, we go now? Now we go?" she asked him.

"Yes, Emmy, we're going right now" he said holding her on his hip as he leaned over and kissed Jules goodbye.

Jules leaned in and kissed her daughter and told her to have a good time and be the wonderful little girl she is for Uncle Brett.

She also whispered in Brett's ear thanking him for loving them so much.

"Call me when you want us home, otherwise, we are just a happy family and don't need to be home anytime soon!" he laughed insinuating that Kurt wanted a long "family day".

"How about you call me when you want ME home," she winked.

* * *

Knowing her daughter would not only be safe with Brett and Kurt but she would be having a blast made Jules very, very, happy. It also made Jules very happy to know that she was going to make the most of her time with Nick in his Bellagio hotel room.

As soon as Brett, Kurt and Emma pulled out of the driveway, Jules ran up the stairs taking them two at a time. She threw off her pajamas and tossed them carelessly on the bed. She quickly pulled on a sweat suit in record time, threw her hair in a messy ponytail and back down the stairs she flew. Grabbing her purse and her keys off the desk, Jules tore out of her house like a crazy woman, and jumped in her SUV. She was on a mission. She was nervous. She couldn't shake that thought about her period. She hadn't paid any attention to when it came or if it came. Her mind was consumed with Nick and his "affair". She counted on her fingers as she drove but still she couldn't remember.

Pulling into Walgreen's parking lot, Jules parked her truck crooked but figured it would have to be good enough. Jumping out of her vehicle, she scurried into the building, hearing her heart pound with every step. As she walked through the automatic doors, she smiled to herself noticing she had two different flip flops on.

"_You are so stupid, Jules_," she mumbled, "_you are __**so **__making more of this than needed. So what, you got nauseous from the smell of pancakes, big deal!" _she grumbled to herself.

As she strolled down the aisle looking for pregnancy tests her mind began to remember little things that made her heart drop. She began having a conversation with herself silently.

"_Oh my God, I had that wicked headache at the wedding__**…SO! Emma cried when you and Nick left and it upset you!…**__I felt sick in my stomach too that's why I didn't drink along with Nick!__**…So what! Who wouldn't with that bitch blabbering about her and Nick!…**__Ohhh shit, I threw up in the kitchen__**…Of course you did! You told Nick to schedule time with his daughter and you knew you made the grown man cry!….**__AND I threw up in Greg Sander's parking lot__**!….No wonder! You told Nick you wanted out of the marriage! That's normal! …**__And I wanted Tiramisu! Eww, I hate Tiramisu! __**Oh stop, sometimes you just get in the mood for something different…" **_Jules banter with herself went on like that all the way up to the register.

As the chunky, teenage, girl behind the counter rang up the pregnancy test she smiled at Jules. Jules smiled back and heard the girl whisper "Good luck" as she turned to walk out.

The voices in Jules head didn't stop the entire car ride home. Her palms wet the steering wheel from her sweat as she racked her brain trying to remember when she had her period last.

"_Of course you're pregnant you idiot, you and Nick stopped using protection…you planned on trying for another baby! You dumb, stupid, idiot! You don't even know it but you are! You're pregnant!" _Jules yelled out loud alone in her truck.

_"I don't think this is the best time this, Jules!" _she yelled out_. _

_"Are you kidding me? This is a crazy time! Arrrgh! Me and Nick…how could we forget? This whole nightmare made us forget that I never went for my shot!…We have been so wrapped up…Oh my God…Ok, breathe, let's not jump ahead…Let's wait to see what the test says, ok? Yes…okay…all right…I will wait…I will see what the test says…right…I'll be home in a minute…okay," _she rambled on ridiculously.

She talked to herself all the way home like that.

Once inside her kitchen, she pulled out her test and tossed the plastic bag on the counter carelessly. She began to pace back and forth across the tile floor holding the box in her hands.

"_Okay, should I call Nick first? **NO**! You don't even know if you are pregnant! **Yes, I do**!…Oh, I sooo knowwww it!…Yep, I'm pregnant…It's just the way it would be for us…with all this drama I would end up getting pregnant on top of it all…I know it…Oh God. We still haven't even talked about him coming HOME yet. Okay…worry about that later…just take the damn test you mental case!" _she rambled frantically out loud in her empty house.

Her hands shook as she removed the stick from it's box and threw the box along with the directions over her shoulder where it landed on the floor behind her; she didn't need to read the directions to know how this test works.

She walked into the bathroom that was off from the kitchen and then walked back out. She did that several times before she yelled at herself to **"knock it off and stop being such a jackass."**

After she peed on the little, plastic, stick she put the cap back on it and put it on the edge of the sink. She left the bathroom and walked to the kitchen sink to wash her hands. After drying them with a dishtowel, she placed her palms on the kitchen counter and leaned over with nervousness, breathing in and out loudly.

She thought about having another baby now.

She and Nick had talked about it a few months ago. They wanted to have another baby…but that was before the infidelity allegations. That was before the world saw Nick messing around with Brooke Latham on her FaceBook page. That was before she threw him out of their home. Jules shook her head and looked up at the clock on the wall.

"_Okay, you ready? Yep, ready as I'll ever be. Whatever is meant to be, is meant to be, right?" _she asked and answered herself in the same breath.

Jules walked into the bathroom and squeezed her eyes tight; her shaking hand picked up the stick.

Slowly opening her eyelids a millimeter at a time she didn't need them to be open completely to see what she saw...

...Two dark pink lines.


	53. Huge

I do not own CSI.

Rated T - language and sexual innuendo.

**I was out of town so sorry for the delay my faithful readers...**

**although the reviews have dwindled to nearly nothing. Sigh.**

** Need ya's to kick it up!**

**Here is a longer chapter for ya since I kept you waiting.**

**Jules as HUGE news to share with Nick. Nick has HUGE news to share with Jules.**

**And Brooke has a HUGE vendetta she can't let go of.**

* * *

He wasn't even out of the Las Vegas Crime Lab when he called Jules. He couldn't wait to tell her the news so he wanted her to meet him at the hotel as soon as possible. He had to tell her something huge.

Nick would never tell her their findings over the phone especially since, while it was good news, it was also scary news. Scary because obviously Brooke Latham has mental problems and she apparently has set her sights on destroying his family. That did not sit well with Nick and it certainly wouldn't sit well with Jules either.

He knew he needed to sit her down and tell her what they found. He was not about to tell her the second half of the puzzle...he couldn't tell her about her mother. He _**AND **_Warrick needed to do that. It would have to be both her husband and her brother to break the news that Jolene Parker was still alive and breathing and they both knew it this whole time. He squished his face up and made a sound of disgust because he knew he and Warrick were also going to have to slap her with the Jimmy Cole tie in too. Ugh. It made Nick sick.

As Nick clicked his door opener and threw his bag in the backseat, he began to wonder if Jules would be irate for being lied to. He was hoping that maybe, just maybe she might surprise him and be ambivalent at the revelation. Nick decided it could very well be a 50/50 shot and he was not willing to take the bet alone. Nick shook his head as he started the ignition.

"Noooo way, uh uh, Warrick is gonna have to be sittin' right next to me when we drop that bomb on her! No way am I gonna do this alone," he said outloud as he turned left out of the parking lot.

But, for now, Nick would be the one to tell her that the photos of him and Brooke were not as they seemed. He was innocent. She will tell him she already knew that. She believed him when no one else could or even should have. She was his champion and he loved her more than life itself. He couldn't wait to hand her proof though. He couldn't wait to see her smile.

Nick reached over and grabbed his cell phone. He wanted to call Jules and tell her he was running late. He would tell her he had to go back to the lab after his shift and he would tell her why when she got to the hotel. He snapped open his phone and dialed his home number.

* * *

Jules grabbed the phone off the counter top and dialed Nick's cell phone. She would never tell him over the phone that she was pregnant, of course, but she just needed to hear his voice to feel close to him. She also wanted to make plans to meet him immediately. She needed to tell him something **huge **and she would meet him at the Bellagio as soon as she could. She figured he would probably be getting out of the shower by now. That was his usual drill; Nick would come in from work and immediately take a shower. She knew now would probably be the best time to call him since he hadn't called her on his drive home from work which actually surprised her a little. But in this case, it turned out to be for the best. She needed to call him now that she knew the truth. Now that she knew without a shadow of a doubt that they were going to be having another baby.

His phone barely rang when he picked it up.

"Nick?" she said as she heard numbers being dialed.

"Hey! I was just calling you!" he said excitedly to find her on the other end of the phone so quickly.

"Great minds, Cowboy," she smiled on the other end.

"Listen, I have some huge news!" he exclaimed.

"Well, funny thing about that is I have some huge news too…Are you at the hotel?"

"No, I am leaving the Crime Lab now. I needed to go back for something," he didn't tell her that that something was learning about Brooke, Jolene, and Cole taking part in this mess.

"Oh, are you heading there now?" she asked.

"Yeah, can you meet me there?" he asked.

"Absolutely, I will leave now," she told him happily, "and Emma is with Brett at the zoo so if you don't mind you won't get to see her right now," she said happy that she was going to have a chance to sit down with Nick one on one and deliver the news that they not only made it through this but they made a baby along the way.

"No, no, that's good. I'm happy she's having fun and you and I need to talk alone anyway," he nodded as he drove toward the hotel. He was so excited to tell her his news, it didn't dawn on him to wonder what her huge news was.

Nick made it back to the Bellagio quickly. He was hoping to get there before her so he could jump into the shower and change into sweats and a t-shirt first, as well as lay out the pictures for her to see that he was not coherent when he was supposedly with Brooke.

Nick slid his key card into the slot and once the light turned green he walked into his room happily. He kicked off his shoes and placed them neatly against the side of the wall. He placed the file on the small round table by the window and opened it before taking off his pants and draping them over the chair. Standing in his black boxer briefs, he looked down and stared over the CODIS printout as he unbuttoned his gray shirt. As soon as the last button was undone he heard the knock on the door. His shirt hung open as he walked to answer the door in his underwear. He was so excited to see Jules and couldn't wait to tell her what they found out today.

* * *

Just before she raised her fist to rap her knuckles against the door of Room 710, Brooke reached into her purse and grabbed her lipstick. After refreshing her lips she made sure she smeared some on her index finger and thumb just before knocking loudly on the door.

Her breath was nearly taken away when she saw Nick open the door smiling. True, he obviously thought it was his wife but she would take that smile however she could get it. He stood in front of her wearing only an open button down and his underwear. He was nothing short of delicious. Brooke was speechless at how gorgeous he still was.

"**BROOKE**?" he literally yelled in her face.

He was not happy to see her at all.

"Hey, Nicky, I um, I was hoping we could talk?" she swallowed hard and become unnerved at his chilly reaction.

"_**What are you doing…Oh, no, no, no, you are not doing this to me again…no way…no way…**_" he said and he pointed at her, "you nearly ruined my life. I got my wife back simply by her faith in me alone, no thanks to you...Oh, no, no...**I don't want to even **_**SEE **_**your face never mind talk to you**!" he yelled just as they both heard the 'ding' of the elevator.

Jules exited the elevator and thought she heard Nick's voice but she wasn't sure...she couldn't make out what he was saying. As she came walking down the hallway of the 7th floor she spotted the blonde standing outside Room 710 and she felt her blood begin to boil. She felt like she couldn't breathe.

"_What is Brooke Latham doing in Las Vegas? How dare this bitch come back here!"_ she nearly screamed as she walked faster toward them. _"Okay Jules, calm down…you know this is not Nick's doing…you know this psycho is up to know good. BUT WHY IS HE IN HIS UNDERWEAR? WHY IS HE ONLY PARTIALLY DRESSED? No, stop...think! You trust Nick… remember, Baby Girl…remember Nick is a good man,'" _she could almost hear her Grams giving her the peace she needed. After all, she needed to stay calm now more than ever…she had his baby inside her.

Brooke saw Jules walking toward them out of the corner of her eye so she decided to go for the gold and put on the show.

She reached out and touched his collar dragging the material between her thumb and index finger. Nick jerked back away from her but he didn't know that her plan had already been accomplished. She smeared her lipstick on his collar. "_Yeah, explain that to your wife, Baby!"_ she thought silently.

"**NICKY**!" Brooke yelled, "Stop it…don't worry, she won't see us...I'm glad I came even if it isn't for very long. But well, you already know my room number, Baby, I'm sure you will come meet me later...let me know when she leaves," she spoke loudly on purpose.

"**Brooke, you need to leave. I mean it. You need help**!" he hollered back.

Seeing Brooke and Nick even having a conversation, made Jules' stomach sick and her heart pound. "_No way, no way will I allow this to happen again. Not after how hard it was for the two of us to get back together again!" _she reminded to herself.

"Niiicckk?" Jules asked slowly as she approached the room.

"Jules, I swear to God…its not what it looks like," he said panicking.

Jules heart sunk when she saw him not only standing in front of her in his underwear but he had her lipstick on his collar. She felt that sickness in her stomach again. She refused to let herself vomit in the middle of the Bellagio hallway so she took several deep breaths. "_Trust him….trust him…" _she chanted silently.

"Oh...um...oh, Jules, I uh, we didn't...I didn't realize you would be here so soon," she winced like she was sorry, "I'm sorry to see you under these circumstances but…_**but he called me **_…he told me to meet him in his room…He told me he wanted me here quickly…well….I guess we took too long, huh, Nicky?" she said calmly as she looked from Jules to Nick.

" **I didn't call you! Are you kidding me? Why are you doing this? You are such a LIAR!" **Nick yelled.

"Nick, don't you think she should know the truth," she said sweetly as she reached out and touched his shoulder tenderly.

Nick moved away.

Jules cringed at the sight of her touching him.

"You're crazy! Ya know that? When did this happen to you Brooke? When?" he implored.

"Me? What did I do? You came on to me…**you called meee! You told me to meet you here!**" she screeches.

Jules walked closer to Brooke.

"**Stop**, just stop! _**Leave, Brooke**_! You are not welcome here," she growled trying hard to keep her composure for the baby's sake.

"Jules, Honey, sometimes men are dogs…it's just their nature. Sometimes, Honey, 'first loves' never leave your heart…right, Nicky?" she smiled softly at him. "I am really sorry you had to find out about us the way you did. I mean I cannot imagine **who **sent those pictures to you or **why **they would put them on FaceBook" she tilted her head and looked at her sadly, "That is so hurtful. I am really sorry but I want you to know **I had nothing to do with it!" **she defended herself.

Jules looked over at Nick. She could tell by his smirk that Brooke just made a mistake and dug her grave. She began to smile back because she knew Nick and she knew he had ammunition to prove his innocence because of something Brooke just said.

"Brooke, do you know what it is I do for living?" he asked her calmly as he leaned against the door frame.

"Sure, you're the best looking CSI in Las Vegas, of course!" she looked back at him and giggled.

"And what does CSI stand for?" he asked slowly as Jules squinted and pondered where he was going with his questions.

"Crime Scene Investigator," she laughed.

"And that last word…what was it?" he tilted his head and squinted at her.

"What? Investigator?" she answered.

"Riiiiight! That is what I do, Brooke. I investigate things that are suspicious. And those pictures you just said you had nothing to do with…they were suspicious. So, I did a little of that investigating we just talked about…and it seems that YOUR FINGERPRINTS ARE ALL OVER THOSE PHOTOS!" he frowned and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Oh, nice try, Nicky…you made that up for your wife! She surely isn't that stupid to believe that!" her southern drawl made Jules sick.

"Well, funny you should mention that. Because…do you happen to remember Warrick Brown?" he asked her calmly.

"Not really…..wait, that really tall black dude you're friends with?" she turned her lips up unsure of her answer.

"Yep, he's the one. Well, he is also a CSI and he was the one who found out a lot of information about you, Brooke. Seems a lot of things have changed about you since college, huh?" he smiled at Jules who smiled wide knowing exactly where he was going with this and even wider knowing he and her brother collaborated on this investigation **together**.

"Oh please! Jules, you aren't buying this nonsense, I hope, " she laughed annoyingly. "Of course his friend will lie for him! He doesn't care about you! Men protect each other!" she nodded emphatically.

"Who doesn't care about me?" Jules asked with a smirk.

Brooke raised her eyebrows, "Warrick Brown…his CSI friend! Aren't you listening?" she rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Ohhhh, you mean my **brother**?" Jules bit her lip to hold her smile in.

Brooke laughed hard at Jules but stopped when she saw Jules wasn't joking.

"No, the **BLACK **guy, Sweetheart," she shook her head at Jules like she was stupid.

"Really? No way! My brother is black? Huh, I never noticed his skin color before…That's un-freakin-believable!" Jules smiled, "Wow, no shit."

Nick smirked, shook his head back and forth as he looked down and chuckled.

Brooke didn't understand what Jules was talking about. She was obviously not very bright.

"Honey, I am sorry to say this…I don't want to hurt your feelings but you are a little...well, a little slow to understand this but...Honey, you have the wrong guy…we're not taking about your brother, Sweetheart…this guy Warrick is black and YOU are WHITE," she said slowly as if Jules was dense.

Brooke looks over at Nick.

"Nicky,seriously? And here I thought someone told me you married a top in the field chemist…I'm sorry but…" she leans in and whispers, " this girl is dumber than a stump!" she giggled.

Jules laughed softly.

"I don't know what you find so damn funny, sweetheart but that ain't a compliment…" she started to raise her voice.

Nick looked up quickly and raised his eyebrows thinking Brooke better lower her voice because Jules was no fair haired, spoiled, white girl…she and her African American brother both grew up in a tough neighborhood and Jules knew how to kick some ass. Nick suddenly remembered the punch in the jaw he received just a few weeks ago.

"Ok, Brooke, you need to just get out of here now before you say something to really piss me off," she said with annoyance.

Jules didn't like her tone nor her disrespect.

Brooke jerked her head back as if she was insulted.

"I think it is **YOU **who needs to go. Nicky asked **me **here. He asked me to fly to Vegas to meet him and I plan on spending a nice, romantic, afternoon with him whether you like it or not…," She paused, smiled and leaned in toward Jules, "And let's face it, we both know how he can fuck like a champ!" she raised her eyebrow at her.

Jules knew she didn't want to fight with Brooke simply because she had the baby to think about but she also knew Brooke wouldn't be able to lay a hand on her because Jules knew exactly how to handle her.

"Okay," she looked at Nick and sighed, "…then I guess now I need to go ghetto on her ass," she shrugged and smirked at Nick.

Nick shook his head and stepped forward hoping to diffuse what was about to take place but Jules was fast. She reached out, grabbed Brooke by her blonde hair and yanked her downward. Brooke screamed but Jules turned a deaf ear to it. A young college age kid poked his head out of his room to witness Brooke being dragged by her hair down the hall to the elevator.

"Niiiice, **GIRL FIGHT**!" he yelled and gulped his beer.

Nick ran his hands over his face and sighed loudly.

Brooke continued screaming all the way down the hall to the elevator. Jules hit the Down button with one hand while the other hand held a fist of Brooke Latham's hair. The elevator door opened quickly and Jules pulled her up straighter on her feet by her hair, faced her toward the elevator and kicked her in her ass making her fall face first into the elevator.

"And do **NOT **come near **MY **husband again or I really will have to hurt you!" she said calmly as the elevator doors closed.

Jules looked up and watched as the numbers descended back down to the lobby. Turning around she spotted the college kid smiling.

"Now that was awwwesommme!" he chuckled like a stoner.

"And so deserving," Jules grinned back at him.

The kid smiled before closing the door and Jules continued walking toward Nick who was shaking his head back and forth as he leaned against the door frame of his room.

"Ohhh Darlin', I just don't even know what to say about what I just witnessed," he said laughing lightly.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Investigator Stokes, I really am, but…but the bitch deserved it," she smiled and grabbed his hand in hers, "Now, where were we?" she asked as they walked into his room together.

"I was just about to tell you that I have something incredible to show you," Nick grinned excited about showing her the folder.

"Me too, Cowboy, me too," Jules smiled slightly patting her purse knowing her positive pregnancy test was inside.


	54. Lost

I do not own CSI.

Rated T for language.

**Reviews are far and few between and without that inspiration I find I have gotten slower in my writing and updates. **

**_And _I will be away Sunday until Thursday so there won't be any updates. **

**NOW would be a good time to start flooding me with reviews and telling me where you would like the story to go...**

** ...or what you like about the story... or if there is something more you would like to see or know about...**

** I will take requests into consideration. **

**In fact, the request for more Nick and Emma time will now be included in a future chapter because I know it is wanted. **

**Come on...how hard is it to speak your thoughts? I really could use them. Like a child...I thrive on compliments.**

**And now, without another begging word...here is another chapter to keep the saga going...**

**

* * *

**

She grabbed on to the silver side rail along the inside of the elevator wall and pulled herself to her feet. Her well manicured hands shook and her head hurt from where her blond hair was nearly yanked out. Brooke Latham was in a state of shock.

"_That little bitch just hurt me….that fucking tramp_!" she whined out loud to herself inside the elevator and rubbed her lower back where Jules kicked her.

Brooke was absolutely stunned. She never thought that Jules would have it in her to take her on. Truthfully Brooke didn't even think that Jules could handle her. After all, she was bigger than Jules and she had her share of bar room brawls back when she was an exotic dancer.

"_That son of a bitch didn't give me any time to react," _Brooke grumbled quietly to herself.

Jules was too quick and she had Brooke in her control in no time flat. That pissed Brooke off even more. She continued to hold onto the side rail as she stared at the gold elevator doors in front of her and wondered what exactly Jules was talking about to Nick.

"_And what did she mean when she told Nick she would 'have to go ghetto on my ass?'" _Brooke asked herself silently scrunching up her face as she thought.

_"Yeah, like that little prissy, white, girl knows anything about living in a ghetto. Yeah, right, she has a black brother and lived in the ghetto, yeah, and I am rich and live in a castle. Idiot." _she grumbled.

Then, as she stood watching the floor numbers go down, Brooke grew worried. Not because she was just roughly tossed out on her ass, but because she knew she would have to explain what happened to Jolene and Cole.

"_Oh God, oh God, they are not going to like this. Oh shit, what will they do to me?" _she silently wondered.

Brooke couldn't bear the thought of any repercussions for her failure to tear Nick and his little trashy bitch apart. She really did seem to make a deal with the devil. She would have been better off if she sought revenge on her own. But she did get paid handsomely she reminded herself. And maybe Cole would be okay with this. After all, she did the jobs he asked; it wasn't her fault that she couldn't ultimately break them up.

As soon as the elevator stopped at the lobby, Brooke quickly hit the Close button before anyone could get inside the elevator, and went back up to the 5th floor. She needed to go back to her room to pack her things. She was hoping to get out of Las Vegas and hide away from those lunatics. Maybe revenge on Nick wasn't worth this kind of terror. Oh boy, she got herself in deep this time.

Brooke stepped off the elevator and her blood instantly ran cold. There standing by her room was Jolene Parker. She was leaning against the wall and looked over as soon as she heard the elevator bell.

"Back a little soon, don't ya think, Doll?" she grumbled as she filed her nails.

"It didn't go as planned," she winced as she walked slowly down the hall before she opened the door to her room.

Jolene watched her and shook her head slowly at the disheveled sight of Brooke.

"I can see that," Jolene said, "So, Dumb and Dumber are still together I take it?"

Brooke nodded.

"Not good. Not good at all," Jolene sighed loudly. She was actually starting to worry a little for the poor bitch. The way she acted last night was pathetic. The girl was indeed just that…pathetic.

"It looks like my kid roughed you up a bit, huh?" Jolene laughed. "You might want to fix that hair and dress when you get into the room," she shook her head at her condescendingly.

"She, well, she caught me off guard!" Brooke said defensively.

"Not surprised, the greedy, little, wench grew up in the ghetto…Warrick probably taught her," Jolene said frowning thinking about how Jules made it out of the 'hood and never once sent a dime Jolene's way. _"I don't care if you never knew me…I still gave birth to your ass, damn it." _she thought silently.

"What?" Brooke gasped.

"What?" Jolene said back not understanding what Brooke wanted clarification on.

"She really **is **from the ghetto? Does she really have a black brother too?" she said shocked.

"Oh please, Warrick Brown and my daughter are no more related then you and me!" Jolene said angrily staring over at Brooke.

"But…but why does she say he is her brother then? I don't understand?" she said confused.

"I kinda left her behind," Jolene said looking down at the carpet, "she um, well she just needed too much…she needed more than I could give her so I let her stay with the Browns. Esther Brown took her for me," she told her making light of the fact that she actually dumped Jules like garbage. She didn't actually give Esther Brown her kid…they took her in since she was found in that empty apartment by a young Warrick.

Jolene didn't explain that she left Jules in their apartment alone in her crib. She didn't confess that had Warrick Brown not found that baby, Jules would never have survived. Jolene rationalized that she knew someone would find her sooner of later.

"So she was adopted? She was raised in their family? So she was a Brown before marrying Nick?" Brooke rattled off her questions.

"Yeah, whatever, she grew up there and went by Brown. So what…doesn't mean that those people were her family!" she growled.

"But aren't you happy they took her in for you?" she asked unaware.

"Look Doll, how about you mind your own fucking business?" Jolene snapped with a nasty tone.

"Oh, um, oh, oh okay, sorry," she swallowed hard.

Jolene stared at her a minute. She didn't like to be questioned about this. It was a little over thirty years ago…many years had passed but the fact remains Jules was still her daughter and if she had money she should by right give some to her….Jules should have come when she asked for her, she shouldn't have blown her off and not made contact. "_And Nick Stokes had no business throwing me out of her hospital room like a piece of garbage….that fucker! That was my ticket to get my foot in the door…she might have hooked me up well if it weren't for that jerk off," _she said silently. "_Well, at least I will show him not to mess with me after all of this. Even if they don't break up, I know they felt some serious pain,_" she smirked.

Jolene looked over at Brooke. She almost laughed at her as she watched Brooke try to fix her hair and straighten out her disheveled clothing.

"Well, Doll, I guess you can only do what you can do. I mean, you did try to split them up….I will put in a good word for you to Cole, I promise," Jolene suddenly showed a glimmer of compassion.

"You will? Really? You don't um, you think he will hurt me, do you?" she said panicking.

"I honestly do not know. I can only tell him you tried your best. You did everything you could. I will tell him you cooperated with me and you did everything you were told," she smiled devilishly.

"I, uh, I um," Brooke stuttered and felt beads of sweat form on her upper lip. She pretended it was just hot in that room, but the truth was she was afraid, so she made her way over to the other side of the room and turned the air conditioner on high.

Jolene watched Brooke. She didn't say a word, she simply waited for her to come back to where they were standing before she began again.

"I know this wasn't easy for ya. Let's face it, you did what you could," she said feeling a little bad for the pathetic whore. "For me, I am glad you did as much as you did. I'm just glad that CSI Asshole got a taste of how it feels to be thrown out and discarded. He did that to me when I went to see my kid in her hospital room!" Jolene remembered angrily.

"Wow, how cold! Nicky never used to be that way. I wonder why he would do such a thing!" Brooke said unaware that Jolene deserved to be tossed out.

Jolene rolled her eyes and shrugged before Brooke continued.

"I just don't want Cole mad, ya know what I mean?" Brooke winced and bit the inside of her cheek nervously.

"Well, I will talk to him for you. I know damn sure you won't be getting anymore cash out of him but…hey, you learned some things, right?" she laughed, "You have stepped up into the big league now. You won't be an amateur anymore, Doll," she smiled, reached over and stroked the side of Brooke's face.

Brooke didn't smile, she just nodded and moved a way slightly.

"Ohhh, come on, Doll,' she reached out again and brushed Brooke's hair away from her eyes," don't look so frightened. I will talk to him. You did the best you could…Hey, did you get the chance to put your lipstick on his collar too?" she asked wondering.

"Yes, of course and I know Jules spotted it," she said softly with a slight smile remembering how Jules' eyes looked when she saw it.

"And still the dumb bitch was willing to forgive him…" Jolene rolled her eyes again and started to walk to the door. "Ok, ok, let's just see what I can do for you. I will be in touch," she said opening the door, " Oh, and do not plan on leaving Las Vegas until you hear from me, do you understand?" she turned toward Brooke and pointed directly at her.

"Yes, yes, I understand. Thanks, Jolene, I really would appreciate anything you could do for me. Let Cole know I did everything he wanted it was just…those two…they wouldn't give up," she nods and begins to bite the side of her lip.

"I'll be in touch, Doll," Jolene said as she was just about out of Brooke's hotel room.

* * *

Brooke thought about throwing all her shit in her bag and running for the border. She wrung her hands together as she sat on the end of her bed. She thought about how long it would take her to get out of here, but then she decided that running away wouldn't work. If Jimmy Cole could actually get to Nick Stokes and his wife from behind bars, then she sure as hell didn't want to be someone he had on his shit list too.

Brooke sat on the end of the bed, kicked off her sandals and rubbed her foot before she felt the lump in her throat rise.

"_This sucks_", she thought out loud. "_Why the fuck couldn't that little bitch just walk away from __**my **__Nicky. Why would she believe him over picture proof? The cell phone bill! My phone call pretending we had sex! What the fuck did those two share that was so relentless? And how could he feel that way about Jules and not **me**__?" _she wondered sadly.

As Brook Latham sat alone on that Bellagio bed , she felt her shoulders droop, and feeling defeated, she placed her face in her hands and began to cry. She wasn't just crying because of how deep she was in with bad people. No, Brooke was also crying because she couldn't win Nick back. She was crying because she lost yet again. She was crying because, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't ruin them. Brooke's heart broke the day she saw him at Josh and Anna's wedding. The twinkle in his deep brown eyes and the way he smiled at her made her realize that she never stopped loving him. She loved Nick. She loved the way he called her "Darlin'" right in front of his wife. She loved how he sat next to her in the limo. She loved how he gripped her arm on the way down the church aisle. She knew he felt it too. She knew he wasn't thinking about his wife at all when he walked her down the aisle to their college friends' wedding. Brooke knew her Nicky was probably pretending the two of them were a couple and were walking down the aisle together for their own wedding. For a brief moment Brooke was actually believing her delusion.

"_I love you Nicky, and I want you back. Why can't you admit you still feel it too?" _she sobbed.

But Brooke knew... she didn't want to admit it, but she knew…he did **not **feel it too. In fact, he **didn't feel it** at **all**. Deep down in her soul, she knew that no matter what she did or how hard she tried, he only wanted that little witch he married. It made her so sick and so heartbroken.

Brooke threw herself backward on the bed and felt the tears stream down into her hair. She couldn't stop crying. She tried to, but she just couldn't because deep down she knew….

….she knew **she lost**.


	55. Meeting of the Hearts

I do not own CSI or any CSI character.

Rated M...just because I said so.

**Well, I couldn't just leave you stranded with a Brooke and Jolene Chapter. **

**I know you all need some Nicky and Jules...so, I thought I would give you a Nick and Jules Only Chapter before I leave for my trip.**

**Even though I am not getting reviews...I still appreciate that I have followers who love my couple. I love them too. Awww.**

**We all know that Brooke was tossed out on her ass by Jules and she and Nick went back inside Room 710. **

**This chapter is a peek inside that room and their conversation that takes behind the closed door.**

**Will they fight? Will Nick be mad she used her hands on Brooke? Will Jules tell him about the baby immediately?**

**Guess you will have to read on to find out...Enjoy and PLEEEEEZ review.**

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It felt nice to hold his hand as they walked together into Room 710. She felt good. She felt happy. In fact, she felt happier than she had in a long time. Being without Nick had been literally unbearable. Being with him now, knowing that he worked together with her brother to find out the truth, made everything right with the world again.

Looking over at her as they walked into the room and the door closed behind them, Nick began to shake his head back and forth slowly before suddenly breaking their silence.

"Damn, Honey…you are quick! and I mean caaawwwwickkk!" he said with his southern drawl as he started to chuckle at her tenacity and speed.

"What?" she jerked her head back slightly, "Why?" she gave him a curious look.

"Because you grabbed her by the hair so fast **I** didn't even see it coming never mind her! You had her to the ground in record time….impressive actually….ya want a job at the LVPD, Darlin'?" he laughed. Nick let go of her hand and placed it on the small of her back, rubbing it softly as he led her over to the small, round, table by the window.

"Ummm, yeah, **NO**," she laughed back.

Jules looked down at the papers and photos that were removed from a folder and strewn around the table a bit. Nick pulled out one of the plush, beige, chairs for Jules to sit on. She smiled at him softly, silently thinking about how being a gentleman came so naturally to him. As she sat in front of the table, the sunlight shown down as Nick showed Jules all the proof and findings that he and his team dug up on Brooke Latham. Jules' new mindset made it easier for her to look at the photos without wanting to cry. She knew now it was just a pathetic ploy to hurt them and break up their marriage instead of a wild night of drunken sex that they were led to believe. It was actually a relief to notice all of the discrepancies Nick was pointing out.

Finally, when Jules had seen enough and she leaned back, pulled her knees to her chest, and rested her feet on the cushion's edge.

She shook her head with disgust and grumbled, "How pathetic, really," Jules paused a minute and frowned, "Seriously…it is so disgusting and pathetic," she shook her head with pure disgust. "But why, Nick? What is _**wrong **_with her? No really, **what is WRONG **_**with her**_?" she shook her head at him with sincere confusion.

"I can honestly say I don't know, Darlin'….I do **not **know," Nick said as he shook his head along with her. "She was always clingy, I guess, but not psychotic! She wanted more than I could give her…she wanted me to be her boyfriend and that just wasn't what I wanted. I was not willing to give her what she wanted... Not to her…not **to anybody**. That may have been fine for my friends, but I sure as hell didn't want to be tied down or coupled up with anyone. It wasn't my thing…well…" he paused and smiled, " until **you**…" he nodded and winked at her.

Jules smiled back at him and bit her bottom lip so the smile wouldn't be a grin. She loved hearing that she was the one who tamed him. She loved knowing that she was the one who made him want to settle down. She loved knowing that not only did he want to have her as his girlfriend, but he wanted to marry her…have her as his wife…and ultimately want her to be the mother of his child…his _**children**_…she smiled wider knowing that she had some huge news to share….she planned on telling him as soon as all of this Brooke nonsense was discussed, cleared up, and the conversation about that psychopath was put to rest. She wanted to be on a completely different topic before sharing the news with him. She wouldn't dream of having Brooke tainting the amazing news she was about to give Nick.

He and Jules sat for quite some time in front of the big window as he told her everything about "dating" Brooke in college and how it was more of a "friends with benefits" for him and obviously an obsession for her. He swore that he made it perfectly clear to Brooke right from the beginning that it was just a fun friendship and he even tried to give her an out with no hard feelings. He never saw just **how **infatuated she was with him…he really didn't. He knew she liked him a lot and wanted more, but he made sure to tell her time and time again that he just didn't feel the same…and he told her that constantly.

"I swear, Babe, I must have told her on a daily basis that if she couldn't handle the way things were then to just say the word," he frowned, "I told her I would understand because it wasn't ever going to turn into anything else," he nodded emphatically.

Jules felt like Nick was trying to defend himself. She felt that he almost took some of the blame since he continued to sleep with her during college knowing Brooke wanted more. But Jules felt strongly that he did not share _**any **_of the blame and he should absolutely **not **feel that way.

Resting her chin on her knees listening carefully to Nick's story she finally interrupted him.

"_**I don't care, Nick**_! _**You were in college for God's sake! I don't care if you led her on…. I don't care if you told her you freakin' loved her…. I don't care if you told the psycho bitch that you would marry her!" **_Jules said loudly.

Nick looked at her shocked.

Jules put her legs down, scooted forward in her seat, and leaned in over the table as she continued.

"Nicky, I don't care **WHAT **you said to her or what you **DIDN'T **say to her… it is **NOT your fault! It is NOT normal** for her to act this way! _****__Especially _all these years later! It's just not. And don't you dare feel even _**a little bit **_responsible for her behavior or her irrational thinking. Something is _**wrong with her, Nick**_. No, I mean it, Honey, something is seriously wrong with her!" she said suddenly feeling a little concerned.

Nick gave her a slight sideways smile. He knew she was defending him. He could see she was quick to protect him. Nick smiled knowing that Jules was making sure he didn't blame or doubt himself. She knew him. She knew he would feel a little bit guilty that he may have unknowingly given Brooke the wrong impression. Jules was reassuring him, and he loved how well she knew him and how protective she was of him.

But Nick knew Jules well, too. He knew that Brooke's behavior was beginning to concern her. He knew it would only be a matter of minutes before this whole revelation would sink in and begin to freak Jules out, and sure enough it had, and he could hear it on her tone. He understood too because quite frankly it freaked him out too.

Nick reached his hand out and patted her thigh.

"Look, let's not get upset. This is **good **news. You can believe in me 100% now," he grinned and squeezed her thigh gently.

"Aww, Cowboy," she smiled sincerely at him as he calmed her worries instantly, "…don't you know I couldn't **stop **believing in you? And believe me, Nicky, I _**really **_did try!" she laughed and reached out and touched his face.

She rested her palm on the side of his face and stroked his cheek with her thumb. As she stared deeply into his eyes, he could see her eyes telling him how much she loved him. He silently stared back at her in awe wondering what he did to deserve her. Jules took her hand away from his face and leaned back in her chair smiling softly at him. Nick was going to tell her how much she means to him. He was going to tell her that he loved how she believes in him and protects him so fiercely. But instead, he simply leaned over in his chair and kissed her forehead gently. Jules closed her eyes as he moved his kiss downward across her brow, he continued on to kiss her temple, down to her cheek, and over her nose, before bringing his lips to hers. He kissed her softly and slowly. Jules could feel the deep love behind it.

"Mmmm, that was a nice kiss," she said before opening her eyes again.

"I'm glad you liked it.…that was my heart…my heart kissed you," he winked.

"Are you telling me that kiss wasn't from you? Are you saying that kiss was actually from that huge, solid gold, heart inside you, Cowboy?" she smiled.

"Yes, Ma`am, that is exactly what I am telling you," he said in his southern drawl as he smiled and touched her hair softly.

Without another word, Jules leans forward and kisses him tenderly, too. As their lips slow dance together in sync, Jules reaches up and holds the sides of his face in her hands firmly. Finally, pulling back from their kiss, she smiled wide.

"There, Handsome… my heart just kissed you back," she winked at him the same way he did.

"Well then, maybe we could take this meeting of the hearts over there to that bed…," he smirked and motioned toward the bed with his head, "After all, it will be the last time we will be using that bed, right?" he smiled before suddenly tilting his head slightly and squinting his eyes, "I mean, I, I can come home, right?" he gave her a worried look.

"Of course you can, Cowboy! I was planning on telling you that today anyway…even **without **the evidence you brought here," she admitted.

"Yeah? Really?" he said excitedly.

"Yeah, really!" she nodded emphatically.

Nick couldn't contain himself. He got up quickly and stood directly in front of her chair. Still seated, Jules looked up at him and wrapped her arms around his lower waist, rubbing his back gently. As he stood in front of her wearing only his underwear and open shirt he bent over her, placed his hands on the arms of her chair, and went in for a passionate kiss.

Before the spark caught fire, as it always does with the two of them, Nick stopped and whispered to her as his forehead pressed against hers.

"I never thought I could love you any more than I already did, but you proved me wrong, Sunshine…_**I do**_. I love you more and more every single day. You **never **have to worry about me, Darlin'. You **own **my heart. I'm not me without you," he smiled and kissed her again.

His words, wrapped in his southern accent, made Jules heart melt. She leaned away from his kiss and smiled.

"I know **exactly **how you feel, Cowboy. I do. I could not give up on us because the love I have for you would never allow it," she touched his face again and dragged her index finger from his temple down his cheek.

Without another word, Nick turned and walked away from her. He went straight to the bed where he tore the bedspread down and off the bed completely. He smiled at her as he walked back in front of her chair.

Jules stood up from her seat and wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in to kiss him but before she could Nick grabbed her, scooped her up, and carried her over to the bed. She squealed from the unexpected and swift action.

Placing her down on the bed, he crawled over her and looked down at her.

"You're beautiful, ya know that?" he whispered and leaned in to kiss her.

As she kissed him deeply, she reached into his open shirt and ran her hands down his back. She felt so much love for him at that moment that she couldn't even speak...so she let her kiss do the talking.

Nick pulled away from their kiss and stared down at her. He smiled softly at her as he began unbuttoning her shirt.

"Did I tell you how much I absolutely love you?" he whispered to her as he unfastened each button carefully.

"Yes," she whispered back softly while running her fingers along his shoulders.

"No, I mean I LOVE LOVE you," he whispered with a smile as he continued to unbutton the last remaining button slowly.

"I never get tired of hearing it from your lips, Cowboy, so feel free to tell me again," she whispered and she slid his briefs down releasing him from them.

"I **LOVE **LOVE YOU," he whispered and chuckled softly before he kicked his underwear off the rest of the way.

Nick and Jules undressed each other slowly and silently while focusing only on each other. Once they both abandoned their clothing completely, their kiss grew with passion.

As Jules lay naked underneath her husband, she was ready to make love to him with pure tenderness and captivation.

She smiled inwardly knowing that Nick thought her big news was that she wanted him to come back home.

He was wrong.

While that was very big news…it wasn't as big as the one she planned on sharing with him…

But first, she was going to make love to her husband with an intensity and adoration that only they could understand. And, as Nick entered inside her and rocked himself back and forth slowly, they continued their conversation about their love and devotion…without speaking a word.


	56. Add to It

I do not, nor have I ever, owned CSI or the CSI characters.

Rated M - sexual content.

**Sorry for the delay in updating...I was on a little vacation. **

**(which btw, I stayed on the 5th floor & smirked inwardly that it was the same floor as Brook Latham - & being that NO ONE in my life knows about my writing, my smirk was only to myself and to YOU my secret readers...hee hee)  
**

**ALSO, I am having some writing block since my reviews are almost non existent. **

**I warned you guys that I really start to lose momentum when I don't have input or encouragement. **

**Help me out here because I haven't written the next chapter yet and usually I have one on deck while I post one. **

**Not this time, readers... so i need some pushing and reviews!**

**Unless of course you don't care about Nick and Jules anymore and well, then I didn't do my job as a writer and for that...I apologize.**

**BUT...for those of you who do like them...here is another chapter!**

* * *

The open curtains allowed the bright morning sun to continue to pour inside Room 710, illuminating their naked bodies as they tangled together on the soft, white, sheets. It was no longer the two of them; they had become one. They absorbed into one another with a love that was undeniable... Unmistakable. A love so strong, it was unbreakable.

The entire time she and Nick were making love Jules knew that when they were finished she would tell him about the life changing event that would blow his mind completely. She knew Nick was already so engulfed with happiness that he would never in a million years think that there could be **anything **that could possibly make him happier than he was right now.

_**Nick Stokes was about to find out that he was wrong...**_

Nick was about to find out that Jules had the power to make his happiness grow even bigger than he could ever imagine.

Jules knew as Nick breathed heavier and groaned from the pleasure of being inside her, that he was about to let himself go and cum inside her with intense desire. Jules knew that it was only a matter of minutes before she would give him the news that would change their lives forever…And just that thought alone made her tear up. And this time, as they held each other tightly, she wasn't tearing up from fear. She wasn't tearing up from shame, guilt or sadness. She was tearing up because she wasn't just giving Nick a second chance…she was giving Nick a baby...his son or daughter to add to the beautiful family they already have.

She knew Nick. She knew how he thought and how he would feel. She probably even knew what he would say and do once she told him. Yes, Jules knew him well, and she knew that once he learns she is having his baby he would melt instantly and be left completely speechless.

* * *

He breathed in sync with Jules as he caressed her soft, naked, body and made love to her with pure emotion. He felt his heart beat faster. Not only because of the pleasure he felt by being inside her, but because he knew this was the beginning of his life again. He knew he would be leaving the Bellagio behind and taking back the life he once knew. He could go home now with his head held high ….back to his wife…back to his daughter…back to his wonderful life…...

Nick's thoughts only enhanced his pleasure and he closed his eyes and groaned softly in her ear. And, at that moment, as he held his wife tightly in his arms and made passionate love to her, he knew in his heart that absolutely _**nothing **_could make him happier than he was at that very moment.

Opening his eyes again and propping himself over her to watch her face as he picked up his momentum, Nick looked down at Jules and saw the tears in her eyes. He didn't worry this time though. He knew why. He knew she wasn't afraid, or sad, or hurt. He knew she was feeling the same way he did... They were beginning their life again... They could breathe again... They were no longer broken and as he picked up his pace he was sealing their fate...he was mending their brokenness.

He felt Jules wrap her arms around him firmly before letting her hands slide down and grab onto his hips. She rocked him faster, pushing him deeper inside her. He knew she needed him to consume her. And he did. Nick closed his eyes again, breathed hard and groaned loudly as he came inside her, and as he did Jules kissed and sucked his neck which only added to the incredible sensation and pleasure. Nick had no idea that she was going to add a whole lot more pleasure in just a few seconds.

Nick stayed inside her for as long as possible. And, before he even pulled out of her, he kissed her forehead as he hovered over her. He kissed the tip of her nose and then her lips.

"I love you so much, Sunshine...I know you already know that..." he said as he pulled out of her slowly but still remained on top of her propped up by his forearms, "…but I have to tell you it every second I can. I will **never **take it for granted, I love you, baby...I love you with everything I have inside me."

Jules smiled up at him and waited for him to finish what he had to say.

Nick continued as he stared down at her with sincerity.

"You and me...we made it through **everything**. You came back for me...you believed in me and against all odds **YOU **refused to let me go... _You and me, Sweetheart,** we made it," **_he shook his head back and forth slowly and kissed her again.

Jules put her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. Moving her lips from his kiss, she trailed her kisses across his cheek before leaning her lips close to his ear. Nick was expecting her to tell him how much she loved him too and he believed that those words would be the best thing he could ever hear. He had never imagined that there were words she was about to say that could trump even those words.

"Nicky?" she whispered softly into his ear.

"Mmm hmmm" he nuzzled his head closer to her making her lips touch his earlobe.

"We made more than that," she rested her forehead on the side of his head.

"Yep, we absolutely did, Darlin', we did it...**we came out of all of this stronger.** If we could make it through this...we could make it through anything...do you realize that?" he propped himself over her to look directly into her eyes to show his sincerity.

"You're right, Handsome, but...but, we made even **more** than that," she smiled softly her eyes filling with tears again.

She took in a large breath of air in preparation for her announcement.

Nick squinted and tilted his head slightly never taking his eyes off her. He wasn't sure what she meant. He really thought he covered it all...what else was there? They made it through to the other side. They could make it through anything and they proved it.

When he still didn't get it, she continued.

"Nicky...we made...," she swallowed hard to try and fight back her tears and get the words out.

"Nicky...we didn't just make it through this…_**we made a baby**_...we're going to have another baby, Handsome," she whispered out as her lip quivered.

Nick stared at her.

He couldn't speak.

He couldn't breath.

Time stood still.

His thoughts swirled.

_"Was she telling him she was pregnant?" _He knew that was **exactly **what she was saying...but he just couldn't wrap his brain around it and so his mouth refused to form any words.

"Did you hear me, Cowboy?" she as looking curiously at him, "I'm pregnant."

Nick still couldn't speak.

Jules stared back at him waiting for his reaction and for a split second she wondered if maybe he wasn't as happy as she thought he would be. She worried that maybe he wasn't speaking because he was thinking it was a bad time for them to add to their family. Lousy timing considering all the chaos swirling around them...But as quickly as that fear came was as quickly as it left…she knew in her heart that thought was not what was keeping him silent. She knew it was because Nick was simply speechless and, as she stared up at him, she saw him begin to melt. She saw his brow furrow and his own lip quiver.

Nick couldn't speak because the happiness inside him made his throat tighten. His heart had swelled so much that he couldn't find his words. He was overflowing and it showed in his tears that had now begun to fill his eyes. His emotions were already raw to begin with, his sensitivity heightened...**this **unexpected news just pushed him over the edge and he couldn't control his feelings anymore.

"I...I…," he tried to speak as tears streamed down his cheeks. "You're? We're? A **baby**? We?" he stuttered.

Jules smiled at his absolute disbelief.

"Yes, Handsome, I'm having you're baby..._**we're having a baby**_!" she started to laugh with delight.

"_**We're having a baby?" **_Nick repeated and laughed back at her before burying his face into her neck.

Jules felt his heart beating hard through his chest. And then, she felt his shoulders shake and she knew he was crying. She just made him happier than he ever knew was possible. She just gave him back **more **than the life he knew…with the news she just gave him she just added to it.

Jules knew Nick hated to be so sensitive but this just was too emotional for even him to handle. Jules began to cry too knowing her words just made the love of her life this happy.

Nick leaned up again and wiped his tears away with his arm before grabbing her face with both hands and kissing her so hard she lost her breath. Nick still couldn't speak so he spoke to her heart with his kiss instead. And her heart answered him as she kissed him back.

"**You**...you amaze me," he finally spoke after breaking from their kiss. "You **never **_**stop **_**amazing me**, **Honey**_**, never**_...you blow my mind. I never thought I could be happier than I was when you came back to me...but you...**YOU**! _**YOU'RE HAVING MY BABY!" **_he jumped up as his smile grew wider and wider…**"WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BABY!" **he hopped off the bed and grabbed his boxer briefs off the floor. He continued to repeat himself over and over as he pulled them on as if to make sure his brain understood.

"We sure are, Cowboy...you and me...we are having another baby!" she sat up smiling before leaning over and grabbing her purse off the end table. Resting it on her lap, she unzipped it and pulled out the positive pregnancy test. She zipped her purse back up threw it onto the floor. Nick watched her every move and smiled wide when he saw her hold up the little plastic stick as proof.

Nick dove back on the bed landing on top of her. He kissed her neck and made her scream, before rolling over and sitting up next to her. Taking the little, plastic, stick from her hand, he stared at it intensely before putting it down and grabbing her face in his hands again.

"My God, **how **is it possible to love someone like this?" he whispered before he kissed her.

Jules and Nick kissed passionately before he pulled her head to his shoulder and hugged her tightly. The more he thought about having another baby with her the tighter he squeezed her.

"Nick... Cowboy, your going to make my head pop off!" she mumbled out from his chest.

"Oh, oh, I'm sorry, Darlin'," he chuckled and loosened his grip.

Jules freed herself from his embrace, gave her head a slight shake and rubbed the side of it as she smiled at him.

"Um, so I take it you're happy? I take it...uh, you're okay with the timing?" she grinned.

Nick jerked his head back and he gave her a look.

"**Oh**, ohhhh, do you _**reallllly**_ need me to answer that, Sunshine?" he laughed and grabbed her face again kissing her hard for yet another time.

Pulling away, they smiled at each other with their faces only inches apart…both of them holding onto each others cheeks with both hands.

Leaning back to stare directly into her face he began to suddenly bombard her with questions.

"How far along...do you know that yet?...when did you find out? How long have you known? Do you know when? What made you take a test? Oh my God, that's right, you stopped getting your shot! But that was only a month or two ago, right? Are you late?" he rattled off questions a mile a minute.

Jules held her index finger to his lips in order to stop him.

"I can only answer one question at a time, Texas!" she laughed. "I just found out this morning! I was making Em breakfast…and I thought I would literally throw up when I handed her her pancakes this morning...the smell made me gag. I really started to gag and that made me stop and think," she nodded at him, "…and I thought back to things that I didn't take notice of earlier... with everything that was going on...I just...I can't remember when I had my period last but I can tell you that at Josh and Anna's wedding I didn't drink with you that night because I felt sick in my stomach and had that wicked headache, remember?"

Nick nodded emphatically before looking down and placing his hand on her bare belly as she spoke...as if he was acknowledging the new baby inside her.

Looking back up at her he said loudly, "Oh yeah, you're right!"

Nick then began to nod and give her an "I told you so" look before adding, "And **THAT'S **why you wanted Tiramisu the other night! I TOLD YOU _**YOU HATE Tiramisu!"**_ he pointed at her smiling, "You eat weird things when you're pregnant! I forgot about that! You ate things you usually hate when you were pregnant with Emma!"

Jules nodded in agreement and continued, "By the way, I stopped my shots about 3 or 4 months ago, Nick," she reminded him and rolled her eyes slightly at how far off he was about when she stopped. "I also threw up several times and I felt like it even more times than I can count...I thought it was stress!" she explained.

Nick nodded absorbing everything she was telling him.

Jules squinted her eyes and twisted her mouth in thought before she continued on/

"So, I'm thinkin'...last time, when I was pregnant with Emma, I started those headaches and feeling nauseous about 3 or 4 weeks along...**way **before I knew I was pregnant, remember?" she nodded answering her own question.

"Uh huh," he nodded too remembering her feeling sick before it even dawned on them that she could be pregnant. "So, say around 4 weeks before the wedding...and the wedding was about a month and a half ago...we're looking at about 9, probably 10 weeks, no?" he figured out loud.

"Yep, that's what I thought…it sounds about right," she raised her eyebrows and smiled softly.

"Did you call the doctor yet?" he asked excitedly.

"Uh, no, Handsome, I thought it would be a good idea to share the news with my _**husband**_ first..." she smirked.

"Oh, yeah, yeah, you're right," he shook his head knowing he was not thinking clearly.

He looked down and picked up the pregnancy test again staring at those two incredible pink lines that just changed his life.

Jules smiled as she watched him. She loved the way his eyes sparkled from the excitement of her news. She smiled softly allowing her heart to swell and feel the intense love she felt for him. He startled her when he looked up suddenly and stared over at her.

**"We're having another baby!" **he yelled out loudly.

"Yes we are, Texas...yes we are," she reached over and wrapped her hand behind his head and brought his face to hers. "I love you **so, so **much, Cowboy, and you're right...we really can make it through anything...we proved it...we proved it **again**," she leaned in and kissed him.

Nick and Jules sat quietly on the bed in Room 710 kissing softly and slowly with insatiable desire combined with pure love and happiness that filled the room and enveloped them completely...

…right down to their souls.


	57. Thinking Back

I do not, nor have I ever, owned CSI nor did I create the CSI characters.

Rated T

**Still need more reviews to write faster! Encouragement makes my writing flow for some reason. **

**I got a few reviews and so I was able to bang this chapter out. **

**Hope it isn't boring. **

**This chapter is mostly a peek into Nick's thoughts and memories...  
**

**And of course, some affection between Nick and Jules. **

**These two absolutely adore each other!**

**I hope you will take some time to review. **

*****And I will be sure to get some Emma and Nick time in too...I just have to tie up the loose ends first ;o) Just hold tight & keep reading and reviewing***  
**

* * *

He could hear the water running in the bathroom from the shower as he lay silently in bed. He stared up at the ceiling simply enjoying the feeling of being loved so deeply and the happiness it brought to him. He couldn't imagine life without Jules and now he wouldn't ever have to. They made it. She stuck by him through the roughest patch of their marriage. She stood by him when she had every right to throw him out and never look back. She believed in him. And he knew, as he lay tangled in the white sheets, that she would never, ever, give up on him or on their family. And just when he thought that knowledge alone would be the happiest feeling in the world, she blindsided him with the news that they were having another baby. He was still trying to absorb it all.

Nick smiled softly knowing Jules had worried for a moment that the timing wasn't right, but he actually felt this blessing couldn't have come at a better time. He was thrilled with the timing. It was a celebration. He felt like it was a wink from God that his and Jules' relationship was meant to be…the love they shared was unbeatable, unbreakable, and undeniable. The two of them always said they were written in the stars and they truly were.

Nick smiled wider as he looked upward. He began to wonder if he would have a little boy or another little girl added to their family. He honestly didn't care what he had. A little boy would be really nice but then again another little girl would be nice too. A sister for Emma would be great. Nick smiled even wider remembering when Emma was born. He remembered it like it was yesterday. He could still hear the sound of Emma's cry for the first time as she made her arrival. He could still hear the doctor yell to them,

"Congratulations, Nick and Jules! You have yourselves a beautiful baby girl!" he cheered.

"Oh my God, she's here! She is finally here, Nicky!" Jules said as tears ran down her face.

"You…**you **never stop amazing me…_**you **_just gave me the greatest gift…" he stuttered out but couldn't finish his sentence because his own tears stung his face as they streamed down his cheeks.

"We did it, Cowboy," she smiled over at him as the nurse placed their precious little girl into Jules' arms.

"No, **YOU **did it," he said stroking her hair, "You are amazing! Are you okay?" he asked worried, knowing how hard that had to be for her.

"I'm fine," she whispered as she stared at her baby daughter.

Nick continued to stare silently at the ceiling while he remembered nearly every detail of his daughter's birth vividly. He remembered looking down at them with disbelief. Nick remembered staring in complete awe at the sight of his wife holding his baby for the first time. **His **daughter. **His **brand new baby girl. He was dumbfounded. Jules looked up at him as she held their swaddled baby and smiled.

"I think she just might have your nose, Texas," she told him.

Nick reached out and rubbed the side of his baby's cheek with his finger tip.

"Here is your daughter," she suddenly said as she held the tightly wrapped infant up to him. "Say 'hello' to your Daddy, Emma," she cried as she spoke.

Nick leaned down and Jules placed Emma into his arms; the baby looked so small against his embrace. She squeaked a bit from the movement and Nick looked over at Jules with a tinge of fear. Jules smiled and nodded to him letting him know it was fine. Nick remembered looking down at this tiny little infant that lay inside his loving arms and it was a feeling that was different then anything he had ever experienced before.

It was a feeling he would never be able to explain or understand until it happened to him...And it just did.

Nick leaned his face toward her tiny ear and whispered, "Hey there, Sweet Pea, it's Daddy," he choked back his tears.

He had never used the word "Daddy" when referring to himself before and yet the name suddenly fit perfectly and sounded so right.

"I love you, Sweetheart…you know that? You know Daddy loves you?" he whispered to her softly. "You will always be Daddy's little girl…always," he said as the tears fell furiously again. His heart, he thought, had just exploded with love and devotion.

As Nick kicked his feet around under the white Bellagio sheets, he closed his eyes and remembered the look on Warrick's face when he finally came out with the news and information once Jules was taken to Recovery and the baby was done being checked over. He saw Warrick first. He was pacing back and forth before he spotted Nick coming through the doors with his mask hanging down around his neck. Nick looked farther down the hall and saw Catherine and Trista talking to his sisters Lynn and Laurie and he smiled at the support they were giving him. His mother looked up from her seat, jumped up, and hurried toward him. Nick felt a hand on his shoulder and looked over to see his brother in law looking worried.

"Well, man? Well, is she okay?" Warrick said panicked.

"**Both **of my girls are doing fine!" Nick said proudly.

"Whoooosh" Warrick let out a sound of pure relief and ran both hands over his face before continuing, "The baby? How is she?" he smiled.

"She is beautiful…she is perfect, Rick, absolutely perfect!" he grinned.

"Oh, how is she, Nicholas?" his mother asked as she leaned in and kissed her youngest son.

"Oh Ma! She is absolutely perfect! Jules said she thinks she has my nose...which means she has your nose, too," he laughed as tears welled in his eyes.

"Ohhh Nicky, Nicky, Nicky...I can't believe she is finally here," his mom began to cry, "and how is Jules? Did she have a hard time?"

"She is fine. She's a champ," he smiled wide and said proudly.

Warrick gave a sigh of relief again and smiled.

Trista, who had been standing quietly behind Warrick, stopped biting her nails worriedly when she heard Nick reassure his mother that Jules was fine.

Catherine, Laurie, and Lynn came up along side them to hear the news. Nick kissed them all hello before telling them where they can see the baby.

"Come on, I will show you," he said touching his brother in law's arm and leading them all to the elevator and up a floor to the window at the end of the hall.

"See that little peanut with the pink cap," Nick said pointing to the baby girl on the end.

Warrick sucked in a gasp of air when he saw the tiny little baby at the end.

Trista began biting her bottom lip and was firmly fighting back her tears.

"Say 'Hello' to **MY daughter**, guys, " he said beaming with pride as he continued with her "stats", "…weighing in at a staggering 6 lbs 7 ounces and standing 19 inches tall," he said acting as if he was an announcer in a boxing ring.

All seven of them all looked at the baby and laughed simply from happiness.

"Mom, did you see the name tag on her bassinet?" he asked his mother who he scooted in front of his body and aimed her in the baby's direction by putting his hands on her shoulders.

Each one of them all looked closer and saw the tag with "Emma Jillian Stokes" written in black marker and attached to the little clear basket that held Nick's daughter.

"You are looking at Emma Jillian Stokes...your newest granddaughter," Nick pressed his lips together and swallowed hard. His emotions were on overload.

Jillian Stokes' lip quivered as she turned around and faced her youngest son.

"You...her...her middle name...you named her after **ME**?" she said as her voice cracked.

"Mom, of course...Jules and I both wanted it," he hugged his mother tightly.

"Oh, Nicholas, I am so...Oh my God, that is so touching!" she said and hugged him tighter.

All of the women looked at each other smiling and Nick continued to hug his mother while he looked over at Warrick who was still staring into the window at his niece.

"You okay there, Rick?" Nick laughed at how dumbfounded Warrick was.

"My God..." he said slowly never taking his eyes off the baby, "My God, my Baby Girl just had a baby girl," was all Warrick could say. He spoke softly almost in disbelief at the reality that looked back at him.

Nick's mother let go of her son and Nick and Warrick faced each other and smiled.

Warrick stuck out his hand and shook Nick's.

"You did good, man, you did good," he leaned over and hugged Nick.

* * *

Nick left his memories abruptly when he heard his wife call to him from the bathroom.

"_**Hey, Niiiickk?" **_Jules yelled out from the bathroom loudly.

"Yeah, Babe?" he yelled back with his face still looking up at the ceiling.

"_**Why are you so quiet in there?" **_she asked him curiously.

"_**Just thinking, Sunshine…Why? What are **_**you **_**doing in there?" **_he yelled back.

Jules came walking out of the bathroom wearing only her bra and panties. Her hair was wet and she was drying it in a towel as she walked to the foot of the bed.

"I was just thinking too…" she said and moved her jaw to the side in thought," …okay, so we know Brooke has a mental illness or something, but there are a lot of unanswered questions still," she paused and looked at him as he scooted up and propped his back up against the headboard.

"I know, I know," he grumbled and threw his forearm over the top of his head.

Nick was wondering when she was going to try to put all the pieces together and solve this puzzle. He knew it wouldn't be long before she tried to put it all together...She was a chemist after all, and she would no doubt go searching for the "formula" to why this all happened. Nick knew it was only a matter of time before the questions began to fly and sure enough he was getting hit with them right now.

"Like, **how **did she get you **in **the room? Did she give you something? **A drug**? **What kind**? And why? What was her motive? Why **now**?" she said frowning with curiosity.

Nick sighed at the questions that were flowing his way.

"Do we have to even think about it? How about we just put it behind us?" he said hoping she would agree. "even if we don't have to think about it for a little while, okay?"

He suddenly didn't want to tell her about her mother still being alive or that Jimmy Cole was still trying to hurt her. He just wanted to enjoy their moment. Enjoying making it through this nightmare only to have a dream come true in the end.

Jules nodded. "I guess…yeah… it just bugs me," she said and flung her damp towel on the chair as she crawled up to the top of the bed to snuggle with him and just talk.

Nick reached his arm back down from his head and scooped her into his side.

"What were **you **thinking about in here?" she asked after she got herself nuzzled up and comfortable in his arms.

"**I** was thinking about happier things," he looked over at her and smiled.

"Oh yeah?" she pressed her lips together and frowned curiously, "...like what?"

"I was remembering when Emma was born," he smiled sweetly at her.

"Aww, remember! She was so tiny," Jules gushed.

"I remember every minute of it…I was just replaying it over in my head," he told her.

"God, that was one of the happiest days of my life," she whispered and snuggled her body into his armpit deeper.

"And we're gonna have another one, I am still so shocked, Sunshine," he whispered back in his southern drawl.

"Crazy, huh? After this storm…we really did get a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow," she smirked at her corny metaphor.

"Hey, Honey," he said quickly and suddenly, "I wanna get out of here," he said scanning the room for his clothes, "I have got to go see my little girl, okay?" he explained honestly, "I hate to cut our alone time short, believe me, but I miss her so much it literally hurts me," he said beginning to sit up, "I know I spent time with her while we were separated but, I just want to be in my own home with her. I want to sit on the floor in my own living room and play with her and be able to look up and see you close by," he said sincerely.

"Cowboy, I couldn't agree with you more," she said and hopped up from her snuggled position in his arms.

Nick scanned her scantily thong covered ass as she leaned over and grabbed her cell phone. She didn't notice his lustful stare, she just called Brett to get the update on where they were and if he could pack it up and come back home.

Nick shook the lustful thoughts from his head and began to grab his clothing and belongings. He grabbed everything quickly and dumped it all haphazardly into his suitcases. Jules watched out of the corner of her eye as he carelessly tossed things into his suitcases.

After Jules hung up with Brett, she gave Nick the run down.

"Brett is just finishing lunch with her and they will head back home," she explained as she looked into his suitcase smirking at the sight of it. "Cowboy, _**never **_in all the years we've been together, **NEVER **have I _**ever **_seen you throw your shit into a suitcase like that. I never thought I would see the day when Nick Stokes turned into a sloppy, unorganized mess!" she laughed hard.

"**You like it don't ya**!" he laughed along with her knowing she always made fun of how particular he was.

"Yeah, yeah, I do actually! Now I don't have to feel like the only messy one in the family!" she laughed again.

"Well, don't get used to it! I am only just in a hurry to get out of here and see my kid!" he said and grabbed her around the waist pulling her close to him.

Both Nick and Jules kissed each other softly and Jules wrapped her arms around his neck, reached her hands to the back of his head, and let her fingers swim through his dark hair.

Nick let his hands fall down from her bare waist and onto her ass. He ran his hands over her bare cheeks and pulled her hard into him. And, just as could be expected, the spark of their kiss caused another fire storm and Nick began to walk her backward to the bed again.

"What are you up to, Texas?" she whispered between kisses.

"Well, we have time before Brett heads back to our house," he mumbled back.

"You **already **made love to me about an hour and a half ago!" she mumbled still kissing him passionately.

"Yeah, and now we have to shake the walls one last time before we go," he laughed as he laid her down gently onto the bed.

...And they did.


	58. Letting Go

And remember that i do not own CSI or their characters.

Rated K

**Here is a fluffy, loving, Nick and Jules Chapter. **

**You can be a fly on the wall for one of their heartfelt conversations.**

**YOU have to tell me if these type of chapters are boring. You have to!**

* * *

He could feel the sweat on his palms as he pulled into his driveway knowing that this time it wasn't just for a visit.

No, _**he was home**_.

He was coming home to **stay **and that made Nick's heart pound inside his chest.

He felt tremendous happiness but there was still something inside him that winced.

He felt a sadness for the time he lost. A sadness that he and his wife had to endure such heartache. He felt a sadness that all of that pain was unnecessary and brought on by sick and evil people. It wasn't fair and it wasn't right. It made him hurt and angry.

Jules looked over and instantly spotted that Nick was feeling an enormous amount of mixed emotions. She could see his happiness and it was a sweet sight, but she also detected a tinge of sadness too. She took a deep breath…She knew why. It was sadness that she too had felt before. The sadness that they had to endure any of it this. It was truly a horrible experience but, as Jules always did, she made sure she found the silver lining and she needed him to hear it too in hopes to ease his uneasiness.

"This only made us stronger, Handsome…you know that, right?" she said and gave him a closed mouth smile before touching his shoulder softly.

"It did. It did," Nick answered but still stared straight ahead.

He nodded slowly, not yet turning off the engine and continued, "But damn it, Babe, it was fucking painful as hell," he said and looked over at her with a slightly wounded look.

"It was. You're right. **But **we survived it and we didn't let it break us in the end….that's gotta really say something about us," she said as she unbuckled her seat belt and scooted closer to him. "Look at me," she whispered and leaned on the console to get even closer to make him focus only on her.

Nick looked at her as he reached for the keys and turned off the ignition. He stared back at her waiting for her thoughts.

"Nick," she held his chin with the side of her finger and ran her thumb over his lips, "I love you. I have loved you from the first day we got together. We have had some messed up things happen to us in the past few years…But _**we beat it**_…everything thrown at us…**we** made it," she told him and he gave a slight nod back. "I need you to hold on to that. Because if you don't, it will eat at you. It will eat at you, Nick, and I can't bear to see that hurt look in your eyes," she said before Nick cut her off.

"Sunshine, that hurt isn't because of you!" he wanted her to understand.

"Shhh," she whispered and ran her thumb over his lips again to silence him. "I know, Texas, I know. But when I see that hurt in **your **eyes **I **feel it…I don't want you to hurt anymore and I don't want to feel that hurt ever again…I've already felt it and I want to leave it behind us," she took a deep breath and continued, "…but if that pain…if that pain is in _**your **_eyes then I **will **feel it too, and I will **always **want to take that hurt from you…take it away for you," Jules leaned over and kissed his cheek softly before moving her face slowly away to look into his eyes again, "You are my other half, Cowboy…You hurt…I hurt. I want you to remember, that every time you feel that ache of what happened to us, I need you to stop…I need you to remember how much I love you, how much I absolutely adore you…I **need **you to remember that **YOU **_**are it for me**_," she said as she smiled at him, "Look, Nicky, I can say that until I am blue in the face but you don't **ever** have to doubt it…you don't ever have to wonder if it is only talk…because we had the **opportunity **_**to prove it…and we DID**_! We proved it time and time again, there is no need to ever second guess our actions," she cupped the side of his cheek with her hand.

"**I can't **see it as an _**opportunity**_, Sunshine, I just can't," he said and he looked sad. He wanted to find the silver lining. He really did. He loved that about her. He loved that she always tried hard to find some kind of positive even if there didn't seem to possibly be one. He also wanted to put it that pain in the past, too, but what Brooke did hurt him so deeply, so intensely, that just the mere _**thought **_of it cut him deep into his heart.

"Jules, the pain I felt from losing you was **unbearable**…seeing you with…" he said with pain in his voice before Jules cut him off.

"**Don't**! Do not let her win, Nicky. We win…**we win AGAIN**. We beat Cole last time and we now beat Brooke. _We win and I want you to hold onto that_," she whispered as she placed her forehead to his and breathed in the faint smell of his cologne, "Can you do that, Handsome? Can you do that for me? Can you just focus only on how **much **I love you? How much your daughter adores you? How this baby is a reminder of how much we love and feel for each other…" she rubbed her nose on his and brought his hand to her belly.

Nick took a deep breath and concentrated on what she was saying. She was the only one in his life who could ever make him feel the way he felt when he was with her. She was the only one who could make him see things differently with only her words. The love he felt for her was all consuming.

Nick rubbed her stomach lightly and only millimeters from her face, he closed his eyes and whispered to her.

"I don't believe this kind of love exists for most people, Jules. I don't. I don't see anyone else like us, do you?" he opened his eyes but kept his forehead on hers, "You are my Angel. I want to inhale you. I think about you wherever I am. I call you just to hear your voice, to tell you my stories, vent to you about my cases, laugh with you about funny things that happened during the day…I just want to hold you and love you _**all the time**_…," he kissed her softly and her hand stroked the side of his face.

Jules pulled away from his kiss and stared directly into his deep brown eyes but she didn't speak right away. She just let her eyes stare into his and she knew she didn't have to speak for him to hear what she was saying…their eyes spoke. He could see it. Finally, Jules trailed her fingers upward and stroked the side of his hair gently.

"Nicky, don't let her eat at you…don't let her continue to hurt you…I love you so much, Handsome, and I **always **will. We don't have to wonder if there we will ever be that "end of the road" for us…it doesn't exist. We know that **for sure **now. We proved it…you get that, right?" she asked.

Nick simply nodded, absorbing her way of thinking.

"I love you, Nicky, I absolutely love you and I am so sorry we had to hurt like that, believe me,…but **it's over**. Look around you…_**YOU ARE HOME**_. You are sitting right here in your driveway, getting ready to walk into **your home **and wait for **your daughter** to arrive. _**The hurdles are behind us, Handsome…We overcame it. **_**It's over, listen to what I am saying…IT IS OVER, Cowboy**_**…let it go now, okay?"**_ she whispered and kissed him deeply.

He _**felt **_her kiss. He felt it deep into his heart. It nearly took his breath away. It mended him. Hearing her tell him so sincerely that she loved him, seeing her ability to know when he needed to be reassured and reminded to let the negative go, made him kiss her back even deeper.

The two of them kissed like young lovers on prom night right there in their driveway. They kissed passionately and yet softly. They kissed slowly and intimately with pure emotion that could be felt with bare hands. Nick reached his hand over and used it to hold the back of her head and let his fingers entwine with her hair.

Nick and Jules could probably have kissed like that for quite awhile but they were interrupted by the knock at the window. They pulled from their kissed and Nick turned to look at the window. There he saw the most precious face peering back at him. Held up to the window by Brett was his little girl…his baby. She had both her hands pressed against the window and she was beaming ear to ear with a wide and bright smile.

"**Hi, Daddy**!" she squealed.

Jules smiled from the passenger seat. She smiled at the happiness. She could no longer see that tinge of sadness he had felt; it had left him.

The sight of his daughter and the kiss of his wife…made everything better than it even was before.


	59. What Dreams Are Made Of

I do not own CSI. I do not own the CSI characters.

RATED K

**I actually got another chapter out for you today even without getting a single review. **

**BUT... I see quite a bit of traffic so I know you are out there and following. **

**So, here ya go...**

**This Chapter is about Nick spending time just the way he wanted to... with his little girl. **

**I have had requests for Daddy/ Daughter time and I aim to please. **

**I hope you like this one. **

**If you don't then you need to tell me so I can improve. **

**If you do, then I need to know so I can continue to write more. Okay?**

**Now, without any further interruptions...READ ON:**

* * *

The two of them laughed softly as they watched their daughter straighten up in Brett's arms leaving behind two, tiny, sticky, hand prints on the window. They smiled wider as she clapped those sticky hands together with pure excitement to see her father.

"Um, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say she is pretty happy to see you," Jules said sarcastically as she laughed.

Nick didn't respond, he just opened his door and hopped out to see her. He was just as excited.

"Hi, Brett, listen, thank you so much, man, I really appreciate it," Nick said looking at him before quickly looking at his daughter smiling.

Brett nodded at Nick and told him it was absolutely his pleasure.

As Nick held out his arms to his daughter, Emma literally flew into them. He held her in front of him and raised her up into the air.

"Hey! Here is my Munchkin! Hi, Honey, Hiiiii there!" he spoke in a higher pitched tone than usual.

Jules smiled lovingly as she got out of the car and looked over at the two of them. Nick was such a mush when it came to Emma. Dead bodies couldn't break him, autopsies didn't even make him flinch, but Jules' tough, strong, CSI didn't have a chance when it came to his little girl. His daughter's smile could make him literally melt.

"Hi, Daddy! You is taken me now?" she asked thinking Nick was there for a visit.

"No, Princess, Daddy is home now…Daddy is right here where he belongs," he said as he pulled her tightly to his chest and kissed her face.

Jules looked over at Brett and Kurt. The two of them looked as if they wanted to cry. Jules couldn't help it but her smile turned into a grin at how funny they looked. Brett looked over at her, pressed his lips together, waved his hand sideways in front of his face before mouthing…"_It's so touching…a true love story_!"

Jules smiled wider and walked over to him.

"Don't you start crying now!" she laughed.

"Oh, Jules, look at him with her," Brett said as Nick threw Emma up in the air over and over again as he walked up to the house. "That man…he is so in love with his family…I knew it…I knew you two would find your way back to each other! Right, Kurt! What did I say!" he exclaimed proudly.

"He did, he said it. He always said that you and Nick met in the Heavens and found each other on earth…a romantic, he is!" Kurt smiled at Brett.

"Truth! Truth!" Brett yelled, "Hand to God, Truth!"

Jules laughed and kissed Brett on the cheek and hugged him tightly.

"I love you, you know that?" she told him, "You really are a great friend. A **true **friend, Brett," she smiled.

Brett smiled back.

"I feel the same, Sweet Cheeks, you know I do!" he said happily.

"Thank you again, guys, really," she said to both men, "Kurt, I am sorry Nick didn't greet you properly. Please don't take offense…he is just so…" Jules said but Kurt cut her off.

"Oh, Honey, I know! I know, that man can't see anything around him right now but that little girl in his arms. Please, Honey!" he laughed at her and waved his hand dismissing her concern.

"Thank you, thank you for everything. Would you guys like to stay for dinner? I can order out," she offered.

"Oh, Sweetie, you get your ass into that house and enjoy that family. You are too kind…you know you need to be with **just **them…you know it. Go make up for lost time! And as for me and my man...we are leaving…peace out!" he said jokingly.

* * *

Jules felt a little dizzy when she walked into the kitchen so she made sure to get herself some water. She read somewhere that dehydration can make you dizzy, especially when pregnant so she went to right to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water. Walking toward the T.V. Room she stopped and leaned against the wall when she saw Nick and Emma on the floor. She stood still, just drinking her water and watching them playing together. Her heart melted. There on the floor, just as he had wished for, was Nick and Emma. Nick was leaning back against the bottom of the couch and Emma knelt in front of him between his legs pretending to feed him a mini cup of tea.

Jules continued to stay silent and just watched.

"Mmmm, now this has to be the best tea I have ever had, Miss Stokes," he told her.

"I is Emma Jilwian Stokes," she said as if he didn't know her name.

"Well, Miss Emma, you sure do know how to make a great cup of tea!" he said pretending to take another sip.

"You wanna cookie wit dat, Daddy?" she tilted her head and asked him sweetly .

"Hmmm, well did **YOU **bake it?" he turned his head slightly and squinted.

"Me made it. Me did!" she said holding an invisible cookie that Nick took from her hands and bit making a crunching sound.

"Oh, Miss Emma! You sure do know how to bake too!" he chuckled.

Nick looked up and saw Jules watching him from the kitchen. It was exactly what he had dreamed of and they both knew it.

"I is a gooded baykaw, right?: she asked with her "accent" in full swing.

Nick pretended to finish his cookie.

"Yes, you are a good baker, but... **I am not really your daddy! I am a big bad wolf dressed to look like your daddy!**" he yelled, grabbed Emma around her waist, and scooped her into his arms and onto his lap.

Jules laughed when he made his daughter screech with laughter as he growled like a dog and ate her up. He tickled her as he buried his face in her neck and she laughed and laughed. Nick was laughing hard too and as his head came up from Emma's neck, his eyes caught Jules' again. He smiled softly at her. They didn't need any words to know what the other was thinking. The laughter in the Stokes' house was the most beautiful sound for both of them. The feeling they had just by being together, just the three of them, was pure happiness.

"Daddy?" Emma asked as she sat on her father's lap.

"What, Honey?" he looked back at her and brushed some hair out of her face with his finger.

"Yaw stayin' now? You is not leavin' no moe?" she asked tilting her head and squinting.

Nick wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly, he put his hand on the back of her head to rest the side of her face against his shoulder.

"I'm not going anywhere, Emma…Daddy is home now. Daddy's trip is over, okay?" he said as his throat tightened.

Emma pulled her face back from his shoulder to look at him.

"Dat's good," she whispered, "Cus I misted you."

"I missed you too, Sweet Pea, I missed you too," Nick said and grabbed her into his chest hugging her tightly.

Jules was thinking the very same thing and under her breath she whispered….

"I missed you, too, Cowboy…I missed you, too."


	60. In His Arms

I do not own the show CSI, okay? Got it? Good.

RATED T - for sexual connotations.

**Well aren't you a lucky little bunch? You got three updates in a day! **

**Not thanks to the reviews though...Not getting them. Grrrr. **

**Well, here is ANOTHER chapter anyway...**

**I'm giving you more Nick as a Daddy**

**AND**  
**I'm giving you some Nick and Jules love**

**Isn't that what you all have been loving?**

**Ask...and you might very well receive it!**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

He was tired. He hadn't slept since his shift and it was beginning to catch up to him. But, he was just happy to be sitting in his home. As he sat on his couch, he flipped through the channels holding his remote in one hand. He didn't pay much attention to what was on television though. Instead, he stared down at his daughter who was curled up in his arms and on his lap. He knew she was getting tired as soon as he saw her thumb go into her mouth. He also knew she would want her "woobie" soon, too.

Sure enough, Emma stopped sucking her thumb and looked up at her father as he played with strands of her hair.

Without taking her thumb completely out of her mouth she asked him for it.

"Woobie, Daddy?" she mumbled simply.

Nick smiled down at her. He liked hearing her voice. He liked seeing her so sleepy, in his arms, on his couch, in his television room. He liked hearing her ask him to get her Woobie. He didn't realize he was just staring down at her and twirling her hair in his fingers without answering her.

Emma stared back at him and when he didn't respond she asked again, still not removing her thumb from her mouth.

"You know my Woobie is, Daddy?" she asked again.

"Do I know where your Woobie is?" he repeated her.

"You know where is it?" she said again with her big eyes staring back at him.

"No, I don't Em, I don't know where it is," he smiled watching her expressions carefully.

"You get it faw me, Dad? You get my Woobie faw me?" she mumbled in her tiny, little, voice.

Nick smiled at her in awe, just watching her and twirling her hair.

"You hearin me's, Daddy?" she frowned confused as to why he wasn't answering her.

"I am hearing you, Honey, I am, but…" he had his words cut short by the feeling of material hitting him in the head.

"Looking for this?" Jules laughed as she threw their daughter's well worn blanket at Nick and it draped on top of his head.

"Why thank you, Darlin'!" he said smiling.

Nick took the blanket off his head and handed it to Emma who pulled it to her nose and began sucking her thumb again. Twisting a lock of his little girl's hair Nick leaned his head back completely on the couch and looked up at Jules.

"You do know I am lovin' this, right?" he chuckled at her even though she looked upside down to him.

"Of course I do, Cowboy…and I'm loving it too," she laughed as she walked closer to him and petted the top of his head, "Hey, don't you have to work tonight?" she asked not exactly wanting to know the answer.

"Ughhh, yep," he admitted sadly and looked at the silver watch on his wrist. "It's only two o'clock in the afternoon, Darlin', don't make me think about it now, okay?" he grumbled.

Jules leaned over and kissed his upside down forehead, "You look tired," she told him.

Emma looked up from Nick's lap and tried to smile but her eyes slowly closed instead. She was peaceful.

Jules continued her thoughts. "I wish you could get my brother or Greg to cover for you…Sara? Catherine? Anybody?" she hoped.

Nick laughed slightly.

Jules squished up her face. "Not gonna happen, huh?" she said sadly.

"Nopppe," he whispered out.

"Darn….I wanted you to sleep in our bed all night…I wanted to feel you in our bed all night long…" she sighed.

"I'm sorry, Baby, but that ain't gonna happen until about 5 a.m….I'm sorry," he said with his sexy southern drawl. "In fact, I got a John Doe case that I am working on…I'd like to get an identification on the guy for his family…it's sad," he said and pulled his head back the right way and looked down at his sleeping daughter. "Everybody deserves to know where their loved one is, ya know what I mean?" he said concerned about his case.

Jules stroked Nick's head again before walking completely behind the couch and wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning over him.

Nick leaned his head back into her.

Jules kissed his cheek.

"I know where my loved one is…now," she whispered, " and I never want to let him go," she said and hugged him tighter.

Nick smiled and felt her warmth penetrate his heart.

He stood up with Emma in his arms, turned, and laid her back down on the couch. She stirred a bit but Nick stroked her hair and she snuggled deeper into the cushion. Nick pushed the ottoman with his knee next to the couch to ensure she couldn't roll off.

"Cowwwwbbboy? "she asked slowly and suspiciously, "You got up fast…why is that?" she squinted.

Nick walked toward her and around to the back of the couch where she stood.

"What did I tell you in the truck this morning?" he asked her as he placed his hands on her hips.

"What?" she squinted unsure.

"That I always think about you…that I always want to have you in my arms…" he reminded her.

"Yeah? And your point, Cowboy?" she smirked.

"Well, if I am not going to be home tonight to hold you in my arms in our bed, maybe I should take you upstairs and hold you in our bed for a little while now? How does that sound?" he asked as he leaned in and kissed her softly just below her ear.

The feeling of his lips just brushing against her ear and feeling his heated breath on her neck made her heart flutter like a school girl's.

Nick mumbled, "Em just fell asleep…she'll be our for at least an hour or two," he continued to kiss her neck.

Jules rolled her head to the side and he took advantage of the access and sucked her neck slowly.

"Ohh God, Nicky, you never stop do you?" she whispered becoming heated.

Nick lifted his head up from her neck and smirked as he looked at her. He held her hips tightly and raised his eyebrow.

"You think…after being out of your arms for a month? Seriously? You just better get used to this, Darlin'," he laughed, "because I missed you. I missed being with you. Sneaking around in the Bellagio hotel is not what I call being in my house…in my home…in my wife... in my bed," he laughed a little louder but tried to lower it for his daughter's sake.

"You are so crazy," she laughed and took his hand and pulled him into the kitchen, "You don't want to wake her with your big mouth, do you?" she asked smiling.

"Does that mean you want to take advantage of the time...of my offer?" he cocked his eyebrow at her.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to leave her down here? What if she wakes up?" she bit her bottom lip as she wondered.

"She won't! She never does!" he began to lean in toward her and she backed up into the counter smirking.

"You are **not **quick, Cowboy, I mean, I am normally not complaining, believe me, but…Emma…" she winced and nodded her head toward the T.V. Room.

"Okay, okay, then let's just go upstairs…just take your clothes off and we can just lie in our bed…I miss that bed, so we can just lie there together…I won't touch ya, we don't have to do annnnything!" he tried hard not to smile; **very **hard.

"Why you dirty liar!" she laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Naw, we don't have to do anything, Darlin'," he chuckled, "C'mon, let me just hold you in my arms…naked. That's all," he ran his hands over her ass as he spoke.

Jules raised her eyebrow knowing he was lying through his teeth.

Nick pulled her hard into his groin and she could feel his hard-on immediately.

"I swear, Nick! You have a problem!" she laughed and threw her head back as he licked her neck seductively.

"Mmmm hmmm, will you help me with it?" he whispered in her ear.

Jules could feel her heart beat faster. She could feel the heat in her own pants now. She could never resist him. All he had to do is whisper in her ear and she was putty in his hands.

"I suppose I could help you out, Cowboy," she pulled her head upright and began to kiss his lips.

Nick let his hands roam her body and they began removing clothing as they walked each other down the hall…up the stairs…and into their bedroom.

Nick was right…

They would take off their clothes.

They would crawl into their bed.

And they would hold each other in their arms.

But as for not "doing anything" in that bed…

…he was dead wrong.


	61. Stealing Glances

I don't own CSI - I know you know that; I'm just covering my ass for copyright rules.

Rated T - sexual connotations and innuendos.

**Wow, you readers really are lucky...I had a writing brainstorm and have given you chapters left and right! **

****Thank you to the new reviewer who made me very happy and motivated!** **

**I do hope all of my readers took time to read my first story which gives better insight to Nick and Jules and the rest of the characters. **

**It will be a help so read You Found Me if you can. You won't be sorry.**

**This is another fluffy chapter. It seems as if my readers prefer them. **

**If that isn't true...then you need to speak up and tell me what you would like to see.**

**In this chapter I have taken you inside the Stokes' home again. Seeing them in everyday life. **

**Nick's love for his daughter. Nick going to work...things that make this couple real. **

**Trista finally makes her appearance and Warrick too.**

**I hope you enjoy it. And yes, I will beg for reviews!**

* * *

He loved the way his daughter's nightlight illuminated her with a warm glow. He watched her. He stared at her with an enormous love. She was his little angel. His daughter meant the world to him.

Covering her softly and he gently, Nick leaned in and kissed her head. He could smell the scent of strawberry shampoo in her hair and he breathed it in deeply.

It was time for him to go. He had cases to work on and new cases to investigate. As he stared at his little girl he thought about the John Doe and the rest of the gory cases he worked nightly; he wondered how there could be so much evil was in the world when such beautiful innocence existed too. He shook his head slightly knowing that the blood and death that surrounded him most nights couldn't effect him nearly as much as the smile of his daughter. If anything could bring him to his knees it was her.

* * *

Jules leaned against the door frame and watched Nick saying goodnight to his little girl before heading out to the Crime Lab. He didn't know she was watching him and she liked it that way. She liked to see him whisper to her, stroke her hair, and stare at her like she was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. She knew him. And she knew, as he watched the soft glow of her nightlight cascade over his daughter, that he was thinking she was glowing, not from the nightlight…but from the halo that shone around his angel.

Jules heart swelled with love when she listened to him whisper to Emma.

"Daddy loves you, Sweet Pea. You have sweet dreams and Daddy will take down the bad guys and keep you safe," he smiled at his wish to protect her from all the bad in the world.

Nick knew that wasn't physically possible, but he would damn well try.

Jules watched her husband lean down and kiss his daughter softly and linger there for a second to smell her hair. It touched her to see this strong man, with his gun holstered on his hip and his Forensic baseball cap on his head backwards, be so gentle and loving to their baby. Nick was everything she could ever hope for. He was the perfect package and from the moment they met she knew he was the love of her life. Seeing him in their home, knowing he is where he _**wanted to be**_ all along, made her want to cry from deep emotion. Instead, she swallowed back her tears and let herself feel the love.

* * *

Nick leaned up and turned to walk out of his daughter's room when he spotted Jules in the doorway. He smiled at her. He caught her watching him…again. He knew her. She loved to watch him. She loved to watch him with Emma, she loved to watch him in his CSI gear…hell, she loved to watch him in the shower. He loved it. It meant she couldn't get enough of him. She told him that often, but she proved it with her stares.

Nick put his index finger up to his lips.

She smiled.

She wasn't on planning on speaking anyway, so she smiled at his attempt to keep his daughter's sleep peaceful and uninterrupted.

Once the two of them left Emma's room, Nick reached back and closed her door slightly. Heading down the stairs Nick began speaking to Jules only when they reached the middle of the staircase, out of earshot of his baby's room.

"You were watching me again, Sunshine," he chuckled softly as he looked over at her and grinned.

"I told you…I can't ever get enough of watching you…don't you know that, Cowboy? I always have my eyes on you," she chuckled too.

Once they got to the bottom of the stairs, Nick reached one arm and hooked her around the waist. They stood together in front with one another as he spoke close to her face.

"You keep those eyes only on me, Darlin', and we won't have any problems," he laughed knowing there would never be a problem like that from either one of them.

Jules kissed him on his lips gently but quickly.

"Always, Texas…Always," she pulled him even closer by his belt loops.

They both looked at the door at the same time when they heard the quick, rapid, knock.

"I gotta get going. I will call you in a little while if I can, okay?" he told her as he let go of her, reached his hand up to his cap and turned it around the right way.

Jules walked over and opened the door without even looking. She knew who it was. Warrick was coming to get Nick for work since they had left his truck at the Bellagio so they could ride home together. Nick would have Warrick drop him off at the hotel, only this time, he wouldn't be staying there…he would be driving his truck **home**.

"Hey, Brother," she said as she opened the door.

"You didn't look before you opened the door, did you!" he said as he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"Oh don't start, I got my gun toting hero right next to me," she grinned.

Warrick ignored her and looked over at Nick.

"You ready, chief?" he asked.

"Yeah, let me get my keys and I'm out," he nodded and went into the kitchen and to get his keys off the hook.

Jules and Warrick heard a car door slam and the sound of footsteps walking up the driveway. They both looked over to see Trista walking up the walkway.

"_**Hey**_!" Jules yelled excited to see her best friend stop by. "I thought you were working tonight?" she asked.

"Nope, I don't work on Tuesday nights anymore…too slow; not worth it," she said about her bar tending job.

"So you came to see me?" Jules said happily, "Yeah! You can keep me company!"

Trista didn't answer her right away. She had accidentally made eye contact with Warrick and their stare remained frozen. They hadn't seen each other since their "hook-up" on Friday night and neither one of them was expecting to bump into each other tonight. Trista hadn't returned his calls and Warrick knew she was laying low. He had wanted to talk to her. She had no idea how much he thought about her. It was startling for him too, but he at least wanted to address it and take it further. Trista, instead, dodged him like the plague. Warrick wasn't used to that. **HE **was usually the one who did the dodging. This was a role reversal he wasn't accustomed to.

"**What**?" Jules shook her head at them. "Let me guess," she said rolling her eyes, "You two are thinking of some nasty comments to give to each other!" she said holding the door open wider so Trista could walk into the foyer.

"Yea, uh, I thought I would, um, just stop in and hang out, if ah, that's okay," Trista stuttered.

"What do you mean if that's okay?" Jules scrunched up her face thinking that her question was ridiculous since they had the kind of relationship that Trista could stop by whenever she felt like it and Jules would be happy. "You're so stupid!" she laughed.

"Yeah, well, uh…" Trista said just as she dropped a small boutique gift bag that was in her hands onto the floor.

A few hair bows and some fancy socks fell out of the bag.

Nick walked back into the foyer where the three of them stood and looked down at the scattered accessories.

"What happened? Lose your grip?" Nick laughed at her and went to pick them up but Warrick squatted down first at the same time Trista did.

The two of them nearly banged heads.

Nick shook his head. "I never thought I would see the day that you two are actually helping each other," Nick said as he laughed.

"Miracle!" Jules said before asking what all those things were. "What did you get now, Trist?" she shook her head knowing Trista had picked up something sweet for Emma again.

"Oh, oh, uh," she tried to speak but Warrick's hand brushed against hers and her stomach jumped. She refused to look at him again though. "Yeah, uh, just some **_adorable _**hair bows and socks for my girl…I, uh, I got them at Ciao Baby Boutique" she managed to tell her as she stood up as quickly as possible.

Nick squinted his eyes and pressed his lips together. He turned his head slightly to the side as he watched Warrick and Trista. He stood in the foyer silently as Jules chattered away and looked at all the things Trista bought Emma. Nick said nothing; he just watched.

"You spoil her, ya know…and **ME, **because damn these are so freakin' _**CUTE**_!" Jules said looking at each one, "She is going to look so cute wearing these!"

Trista smiled and agreed before walking into the kitchen abruptly.

Nick noticed not one teasing comment had been said between Warrick and Trista. Not one sarcastic remark. Not even their silly way they acknowledge one another with digs or insults. Still, Nick said nothing. Instead he walked over to his wife and placed his hand on her hip and leaned in and kissed her softly.

"We gotta go, Babe, I love you," he said as he kissed her a second time.

Nick took note that Warrick said nothing about their public display of affection as he usually does. "I'll call you if I can," he added.

"I'll be up. You be safe, okay? Promise?" she said and leaned her forehead on his chest as she wrapped her arms completely around him and hugged him tightly.

"Promise, Sunshine," he said before kissing her on the top of her head.

As a last minute thought, Nick decided to test Warrick one more time. He wanted to see if it was just his imagination or if Warrick's mind was somewhere else. He let his hands fall lower and he caressed Jules' ass before giving it a seductive squeeze. When Warrick didn't notice, Nick subtly looked over at him and saw he was staring toward the kitchen. Nick decided to give it another shot and whispered louder than he should, "_**If I call you will you talk dirty to me again?"**_

"**NICK**!" Jules gasped and pulled away from him, "My brother is standing right there!" Jules complained.

Warrick came out of his deep thought and shook his head pretending he heard Nick's comment.

"You two are sickening; let's go," was all he said before walking out the door.

Nick nodded and walked toward the door following his brother in law out. With his hand on the door knob he turned back to his wife.

"Give me another kiss and tell me you love me," he winked at her as he said it.

And without a second to lose Jules leaned in and grabbed his face with both hands. She kissed him hard on the lips before moving her lips to his ear. She whispered to him in a raspy, sexy, voice.

"I love you, Cowboy...wake me when you get home and I'll talk dirty to you all you want." she raised her eyebrow devilishly as she stared back at him.

"Haaa Haaaa! You can count on it," he said and gave the "Nick Stokes laugh" that she loved so much.

After he closed the front door behind him she locked the deadbolt and was about to walk into the kitchen when she saw the door knob turn and the door shake a bit.

She knew why...he was making sure she locked it behind him...just as he always did...just like before.

She laughed when she heard him yell from the other side of the door.

**"JUST CHECKING!**"

She yelled back **"I KNOW!"**

They both knew the other one was laughing as she turned and walked away into the kitchen...

...and he turned and walked to Warrick's truck.


	62. Hidden Thoughts and Silent Secrets

I don't own CSI.

Rated T for language and sexual flashbacks.

Here is a nice long chapter for you but...

...it is a Warrick & Trista based Chapter with Nick & Jules chiming in to each of them.

Please let me know if you like it. I have had some of you ask for them...so here it is.

I know there is more to tie up and it will happen, patience readers, have patience.

I know you worry for our dear characters but we gotta keep it real or my story won't be very entertaining.

**A BIG THANK YOU TO**

**who has consistently given me fantastic reviews. :o)**

**I do hope you listen and read my YOU FOUND ME story though...it will help you relate to the characters even more.**

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He sat in his truck alone and waited silently; he heard only the sound of his heart pounding inside him. Through the darkness he could see Nick in the glow of his porch light saying goodbye to Jules and stealing one last kiss from her before leaving the house. Neither Nick nor Jules could possibly know just how happy and grateful he was that Nick was innocent and undeniably faithful. He secretly loved the way they adored each other. He secretly wished that for himself, too. He also secretly felt sick about the way Trista dismissed him. He rested his head back on the headrest of his truck.

"_She wouldn't even look at me,"_ he grumbled softly, "_She wouldn't even acknowledge me?"_

He was not used to impervious reactions from chicks that he had hooked up, never mind ones he was with just days earlier. But Trista, **Trista** seemed indifferent…unaffected…uninterested. She made no effort to make eye contact with him, or even small talk. Hell, she wasn't even interested in being in the same room with him never mind any desire to chase him. He found his ego very wounded and his mind completely overcrowded with thoughts. He found it hard to concentrate on anything that was said in the foyer of his sister's home.

At first, as he sat in his car waiting for Nick, all Warrick could think about was how Trista didn't seemed impressed by how great their sex was. How she didn't seem to care if she was with him again or not. But his thoughts quickly changed gears and suddenly **all **he could think about was how impressed **HE **was with _**her**_. He thought about her lips. The way she kissed. The way she screamed his name that night. The way she told him how amazing he was in bed…

Warrick breathed out the air from his lungs when he thought about how, when he leaned down to help her pick up the hair bows and socks, he felt her head brush against his. He could smell her perfume and his heart seemed to recognize it. He didn't intend to touch her hand, he just instinctively went toward it, but she backed away.

He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. Was he really actually thinking about _**Trista**_? Could he possibly really be hung up on his sister's annoying-pain in the ass-best friend? He has known her forever! This was crazy. He was just being stupid. And yet, she was **all ****_he could think about_.**

* * *

Trista was far from impervious…far from ambivalent. She was actually **extremely **rattled by her unexpected run in with Warrick. In fact, as soon as she left the foyer and went into the kitchen, out of sight, she braced her sweaty palms against the cool, granite countertop. She took a deep breath and tried to tell her heart to stop beating so hard and fast. She could hear Jules and Nick still talking to Warrick and she wished they would shut the fuck up and let him leave already. She felt the prickles from sweat forming under her shirt and on the back of her neck.

Trista had not seen Warrick since they had wild sex just days earlier. She was hoping not to see him for _**at least **_a week or two…when everything could possibly be swept under the rug and forgotten. She almost pulled away when she drove up to Jules' house but she knew she couldn't. Jules and Nick lived in a Cul de sac which meant she would have been seen driving in and out of it for no apparent reason; it would have been ridiculous. It would have looked insane and she knew it, so she drove in and acted completely natural; as if it was no big deal. She pretended to not care one way or another about seeing him…in reality her insides felt like they were being drop kicked.

She couldn't understand this feeling. It was so bizarre to her. She never got this clammy and crazed over a guy before, never mind **HIM**. Was this for real? She still could not wrap her brain around having a one night stand with him. She still couldn't wrap her brain around how intoxicating his kiss was. She could not wrap her brain around how incredible the sex was with him...the way he touched her…the way he made her scream out his name…the way…

Trista shook her head trying to sweep away the thoughts she was having yet again about Warrick Brown. It was consuming her and it freaked her out to no end. She couldn't handle this. It was crazy. It was insane. It was _**Warrick**_! Pain in the ass-get on my last nerve-get out of my face-Warrick fucking Brown! She was just being stupid. It wasn't real. That's why she wouldn't answer his calls, because it was absolutely ludicrous…absolutely ridiculous. It just was **NOT **possible.

She needed a drink.

Trista walked to the refrigerator, open the stainless steel door, and immediately looked for liquor. She didn't care what kind…a beer, a wine cooler, anything…she didn't care… it didn't matter….she just needed to take the edge off and she needed to stop this ridiculous behavior immediately. It was stupid.

Finding an already opened bottle of wine she grabbed it quickly and sighed a sigh of relief. She poured herself a glass and guzzled it in one shot before pouring herself another one. She had to make sure she didn't drink it all; she didn't want to send up a red flag to Jules that something was going on with her. Jules would know something was wrong if suddenly her bottle of wine was completely empty in a matter of minutes. So, Trista put down her second glass of wine, and made sure Jules got a glass too.

"_Oh, would you just get the fuck out of here, Warrick_," she whispered under her breath.

When she heard the door close and Jules yell out to Nick about knowing he was checking that the door was locked, she breathed the air out of her lungs and brought both glasses of wine to the table.

* * *

Opening the door on the passenger's side of the truck, Nick got inside. He looked over at Warrick who backed out of his driveway immediately without even acknowledging Nick. Nick nodded his head slowly and subtly to himself; the investigator in him was sensing something was definitely up with his best friend.

"What's up with you, man?" Nick asked squinting at Warrick.

"Me? Nothin'…why?" he said turning out of Nick's development.

"Nah, you're not right…something ain't right with you," Nick pried.

"What? You're crazy, man, what are you talking about!" Warrick said trying to brush him off.

"You and Trista? What was up with that?" Nick continued.

"Up with **what**? We didn't even say anything to each other!" Warrick said emphatically, "What are you talking about?" he scoffed and kept his eyes on the road.

"**THAT **is exactly what I am talkin' about, Rick!" he nodded, "I have **never **seen the two of you not trading jabs with each other! You two can't be in the same room together without calling each other some kind of name or trying hard to aggravate one another," he stared at Warrick for answers.

"I didn't feel like it tonight; I couldn't be bothered," he said trying to cover for himself.

Trista had warned him. She told him **NO ONE **was to know about their night of hot sex. Suddenly he didn't want to betray her. He listened to her and was doing what she asked.

"And you **helped **her so quickly?" Nick continued to pry.

"I **always **help her…I help my sister…I help! **I help people, Nick!**" he defended himself.

"Mmmm hmmm," he mumbled suspiciously and then he paused.

Suddenly, whipping his head toward Warrick, he yelled out, "**YOU! You and Trista! You slept with her didn't you!" **Nick slapped his hand on the dashboard as his mouth hung open.

"_**Whhhhaaat? Oh my God! Are you out of your fuckin' mind!" **_Warrick's face winced with pretend disgust_**. "You're fuckin' crazy!**_ _**What have you been smokin' tonight?" **_he said acting if he was utterly horrified at the thought and completely annoyed.

"**You did! **_**You banged her AND you are fucking **_**hung up **_**on her**_ _**now, too**_!" Nick said nodding convinced he figured it out.

Nick started to laugh and then laugh a little harder before continuing.

"_**And she ain't giving you the time of day! **_Ha haaah" Nick said and laughed with his famous laugh that his wife adores.

"You're fucking crazy, Nick, ya know that?" he squashed up his face disgustedly and denied it.

"I cannot believe it! I can**not** freakin' believe it! I **never **saw this one coming! Well…" Nick squished up his face in thought as he continued, "There were a few annoying arguments you two had when I felt like telling the both of you to just go fuck each other and get it over with already but…" he shook his head, "Naw…naw, man, I did **not **see this one coming!"

Nick drummed his hands on the dashboard again laughing quietly, "Noooo ssshhhit! You and Trista. I cannot believe it. Jules will be floored," he said talking mostly to himself.

Warrick jerked his truck to the side of the road and jammed on his breaks.

Nick looked at him with a startled look.

"**NICK**, I am telling you right now…there is **NO **me and Trista so don't start rumors and be telling' my sister shit that ain't true…got it?" he raised his voice adamantly.

Nick nodded and smirked. He stayed silent for a minute and then couldn't help himself.

"Haa haaa…you slept with Trista!" he laughed again.

"Fuck you, Nick. **No, really**…ffffuucck yyyoou," Warrick said annoyed that his brother in law figured it out and knew the truth.

Nick had a smirk on his face the rest of the way to the LVPD Crime Lab and occasionally chuckled under his breath as they drove. Once they pulled into Warrick's parking spot, Nick reached in the backseat to grab his case but Warrick grabbed his arm and squeezed it hard and tightly.

"Nick," he stared at him directly in the eyes.

Nick stared back at him still with a smirk that aggravated Warrick.

"**NICK**…I am telling you to stop this bullshit…you do **NOT **know what you are talking…" he said before Nick cut him off.

"_**Oh jussst ssshhhut the fuckkk uppp, Rick**_," Nick said laughing and pulled his arm away from Warrick. "I investigate shit for a living…you think I can't spot things going on right in front of my face? The way you two acted tonight? **Please! Spare me, would ya?" **he shook his head laughing, "I already know that you slept with her, Warrick, I do! I just want to know _**when **_it happened, _**how **_it happened, _**where**_…you know! **It's a shocker, man!" **he insisted.

Warrick looked down and shook his head feeling defeated in his inability to lie his way out of his brother in law's conclusion.

"**Annnndd **I fuckin' **KNOW **she's gotten under your skin, man! She has! Oh, she fuckin' has! You are freakin' hung up on her, Bro!" Nick continued to laugh harder.

"**No! No I am not, you're fuckin' sick!**" Warrick defended himself loudly trying hard to not let the cat out of the bag, "You fucking **suck **as an investigator, Nick, because you are way off base here!"

Nick continued to laugh his famous laugh as he opened the truck door and got out.

"You have it **bad **for _**TRISTA**_…I cannot fucking believe this one. I just can't!" he carried on further annoying his best friend.

"Fuck you, Nick…fuck you…" Warrick repeated himself. "You are so wrong it is embarrassing…you're makin' as ass out of yourself, man…a real fuckin' dumb ass," he insisted, "You better go back to being a Level One because you really do suck as an investigator!"

As CSIs Warrick Brown and Nick Stokes walked through the parking lot toward the Las Vegas Crime Lab, the two grown men continued to act like grade school boys all the way inside the building.

* * *

Jules smiled wide all the way into the kitchen. She was still chuckling over how she knew Nick was checking to make sure she dead bolted the door after he left. All she could think about was how much she loved that man, how happy she was that all the pieces welded instantly back together again without skipping a beat. They were right back where they started…happy. No, they were even better…they were even happier. She let her hand graze her stomach as she walked into the kitchen.

"What's up, Sistah," Jules said to her best friend jokingly.

Trista was taking another gulp of her wine and was already nearly finished with her second glass.

Jules continued unaware of her nervousness.

"That was so nice of you to buy Emmy those adorable accessories. I so love, love, love them! LOVE them!" she said excitedly.

"Me too," Trista said after she swallowed another gulp.

"I'm glad you stopped by. I love when you come hang with me," Jules said as she began making a cup of tea.

"Hey, forget the tea…I poured you a glass of wine," Trista said handing it to her.

"Thanks, but um, I'm not in the mood right now, you can have it," she said and put it down on the counter, "My, um, my stomach is bothering me a little…I'll just have tea."

Trista nodded unaware of why Jules refused a nice glass of wine. Instead, Trista dumped it into her glass happily, making it three glasses of wine within minutes. She could feel herself relaxing already.

"So, what's been up with you? Can you believe what I told you?" Jules said referring to their phone conversation when she found out about Brooke's sick and twisted attempt to ruin hers and Nick's marriage.

"No, no, it is fucking crazy is what it is," Trista said shaking her head.

"Isn't it!" Jules shook her head too.

"Again, I am really sorry for trashing Nick like that, I just…I thought he was hurting my girls, ya know?" she explained.

"Don't be stupid, Trist! I know…Nick knows. He even told me he respects how you protected me. He is thankful you are such a good friend to me. You stood up for me…you carried me when I needed you most…" Jules choked up just saying it…she was getting emotional easily these days.

Jules meant it. Trista did carry her through it. She was her shoulder and she kept Emma's life intact too. She was her rock…her and Warrick both.

"You and Warrick…" Jules began.

Jules was about to say the two of them were her rock through all of this, but Trista cut her off quickly.

"What? What? Why do you say me and Warrick? Why?" she rambled almost frantically.

Jules squished her face up at her, "Oh, don't start…you two were actually good to each other in there…now you are gonna get all '_don't put me in the same sentence with Warrick' _on me?" Jules laughed. "I hope one of these days you two will finally get along!"

"Oh. Yeah. Oh, um," Trista giggled embarrassed.

"Did you drink this…"Jules stopped short and lost focus. She was about to ask her about the bottle of wine being empty. She didn't care she actually thought it was funny that Trista was downing it so fast. But she stopped because she noticed Trista's neck. "**HEY! Is that? IS THAT A HICKY ON YOUR NECK!**"A Jules screeched.

Trista reached up and touched her neck nervously. She had noticed it before and tried to hide it with make-up. Her stomach dropped from her instant thought of Warrick sucking hard on her neck as the fucked furiously. Trista's stomach dropped more at the incredible memory than the fact that Jules was pointing it out.

"**IT IS! YOU HAVE A HICKY!"** Jules laughed hard. "Oh my God! When did you hook up? And with **WHO**?" she pried excitedly for some juicy scoop, "You dirty dog you! And you didn't TELL ME!"

"Oh, I, uh," Trista laughed nervously, "just some guy…it was, uh, yeah, nobody," she stuttered.

"I don't know him, huh? Guy at work…the bar?" she asked but didn't wait for her answer.

She had no idea she would not only know him but…it was her _**brother**_. "Bitch, you better tell me _**evvvvvverything**_!" she grinned while she finished pouring her cup of tea, scurried over to the kitchen table, and sat down across from her best friend.

Trista was feeling a buzz and, knowing her best friend didn't know who she was talking about, she was actually excited to finally share with someone how great the sex was. Had she not been buzzed she would have kept it secret but instead she let it all out.

"_**OH…MY….GODDDD**_," she squeezed her head with both hands and dragged them downward, "Jules, oh…you…can**not** even imagine. Never in my life…**NEVER**, I am not kidding when I say that…do you understand? _**NEVVVVER**_!" she took a deep breath and breathed out loudly.

"Realllly? Why? What was so great? **TELL ME**!" she took a sip of her tea as she smiled.

"Because…it was just **hot**. I mean, unexpected, unplanned, just primal…_**fucking primal**_!" she admitted loudly.

"Uh huh," Jules egged her on.

"Yep, like, I'm talking bend me over like a rag doll and take me like a beast," she slurred a bit as the wine took it's affect, "Jules, he went down on me with some sort of magic, I am not kidding," she rubbed her hands over her face and her heart raced at the memory.

"Wow. _**Realllly**_? Wow, very hot," Jules nodded.

"**VERY, VERY, **hot! And he was huge. No, I don't mean big…I mean **HUGE**. I mean like **_Holy Shit_ huge**!" She shook her head with disbelief just at the mere thought.

"You are kidding me…when did this happen?" Jules asked intrigued.

"I don't know the other day," she brushed off the question.

"Where? At the bar?" Jules asked.

"No, his house," she told her and was about to continue but Jules interrupted with more questions.

"Have you talked to him since?" she wondered.

"**JULES**! Do you want to hear about my sexcapade or the who, what, where, when, boring shit?" she tried to divert those kind of questions back to the sex.

"Oh, okay, okay, sorry," Jules chuckled and told her to go on.

As Jules and Trista sat at the kitchen table, they continued to dish about the mystery man that gave Trista the ride of a lifetime. And, as Trista gave her every exciting detail, Jules listened, laughed, and asked questions all without knowing that the mystery man who was incredible in bed, was actually no stranger…he was her **brother**.

...He was Warrick Brown.


	63. Morning Sunshine

I do not own CSI...

Rated M for sexual content.

**WARNING: SMUT**

**Aren't you a bunch of lucky readers! How about ANOTHER chapter already? **

**Sa-weeet! I love it when my story flows, BUT I hope YOU like the chapters!**

**I won't know unless you tell me though...SO TELL ME!**

**Ok, I know I have been neglecting my smut fans who love to see Nicky in action**

**...and let's face it, Nick LOVES to be in action with Jules.**

**So, here ya go...**

***Nick and Jules ONLY Chapter***

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The sun was not quite up completely when he pulled into his driveway but it was nearly there. As he got out of his truck, he yawned loudly, stretched his back from side to side, and continued to walk up his front walk, toward his front door. Hearing the sound of wheels behind him, he turned, smiled and nodded upward at the paper boy as he rode by on his bike. The boy threw the paper at him and Nick caught it with one hand. The boy and Nick both gave each other the thumbs up and laughed. Nick continued to smile all the way to his front door. He was glad to be home.

Nick crept into his house quietly, locking the door behind him. Before heading upstairs, he put his shoes neatly in the closet and went into the kitchen to hang his keys on the hook. Tossing his wallet on the desk he scanned the room and smiled. He was happy to be back where he belonged.

Creeping up the stairs he peeked into his daughter's room and smiled softly when he saw her messy hair peeking out from under the covers. She was sleeping soundly and he didn't want to disturb her so he closed the door a little and walked into his bedroom. Grabbing some sweats from his drawer quietly, he walked into the Master Bathroom, took off his clothes and threw them into the hamper. He leaned in and felt the water with his hand before stepping into the shower.

It had been a long night but Nick felt satisfied. He had figured out the identity of that John Doe case he had been working on for a couple of weeks. And while it was sad that a family had to learn about the death of their loved one, he was happy that they finally got the closure they deserved. He was very happy about that.

As he let the hot water penetrate the back of his neck he didn't even hear her come into their master bathroom.

* * *

Jules hadn't heard Nick come into the bedroom but she did hear the shower go on in their bathroom.

She loved hearing it.

It meant Nick was home. And Nick being home meant things were back to the way they once were.

He always showered as soon as he came home from work. She knew his routine all too well. She rolled over and looked at the clock. Getting up slowly, she went into the bathroom to pee. She also wanted to say "hello" to that handsome man in the shower. She cringed when she thoughtlessly flushed the toilet knowing she just made Nick's hot water get hotter for a split second.

"**WHOA!**" she heard him yelp.

Jules bit her bottom lip. She didn't mean to laugh. She opened the shower door and smirked.

"I'm sorry, Cowboy, I did it without thinking," she explained trying not to laugh.

She also tried not to scan his body so obviously but she couldn't help it. His incredibly sexy body, naked and slicked with water, was too good for her eyes not to notice. She couldn't help it and a side smile crept on her face as she checked him out.

"Darlin, you think I can't tell you are checking me out?" he laughed at her and shook his head.

"I'm not, I didn't even notice how sexy you are," she grinned.

"Then join me…if you think that then come on in here," he told her.

"What? Noooo, no, sorry, but I'm going back to bed, Handsome! It's not even 5:00 am yet!" she shook her head and began to close the shower door so she could head back to bed.

"Well, you're not being fair, ya know," he said with his southern drawl.

"What?" she turned back and opened the door wider again, "**Why**?" she asked.

"Because you burned me first and then got to see me naked…and I didn't get to see you," his southern drawl sounded even sexier as if vibrated off the shower walls.

"Um, how 'bout an 'I'm sorry'?" she asked sheepishly and smiled.

"Yeah, that doesn't help at all," he told her.

"Goodnnnnnight, Cowboyyyy," she said shaking her head about to close the door.

But Nick was already turned on by their playful banter. He loved her in her short, bright pink, cotton, camisole which only added to his desire. He wondered if she was wearing panties underneath it which also added intrigue to the mix. All of those thoughts went through his head in record speed because before Jules could close the shower door he grabbed her hand and gave her a quick tug causing her to be pulled back and half way into the shower.

She gasped as the water hit her whole left side completely.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I do that?" he said smirking. "I, um, I did it without thinking," he repeated her excuse for flushing the toilet on him.

"**OH MY GOD, NICKY**!" she said with shock and wiped her face from the water that was dripping off her nose.

Nick reached his wet hand over to her face and moved some of her wet hair away from her eyes.

She looked at him and frowned.

He looked back at her and gave her his beautiful smile.

"That was not very nice of you!" she told him looking down at her half wet nightgown.

"Aw, I'm sorry, Darlin'," he said and pulled her flush with him causing the water to completely drench her now.

"You're crazy! I am thoroughly soaked now, Nick!" she complained feeling the cotton material sticking to her.

"Crazy? Yeah, I suppose your right about that," he laughed and leaned down, held her face with one hand, wrapped his other one around the small of her back, and kissed her softly as the water splashed over them.

And as Nick Stokes could always do…he made her melt into him.

She kissed him back and raised her arms up, allowing him to remove the pink, cotton, camisole nightgown up her body and over her head.

He let the wet material fall and slap to the shower floor. He scanned her body up and down and, although her breasts were bare, he smiled when he saw her little, pale, pink, cotton underpants had become completely see through from the water.

Once her nightgown had been removed, Jules lowered her arms and let them drape around Nick's neck. She let her hands swim around in the back of his wet hair and she continued to kiss him with pure desire. She loved him so much and she yearned for him almost as bad. She couldn't resist him. He was so incredibly sexy. To her, he was the vision of perfection and she couldn't seem to ever get enough of him.

Her nightgown had covered the drain and they could feel the water pooling up around their ankles. Nick leaned down to push it away from the drain and as he did, he made a point to peel off her underwear on the way down. Opening the door, he threw both her heavily soaked nightgown and panties onto the tile floor. Closing the door again, he raised his eyebrow at her with lust. He scanned her up and down again and admired her toned, little, body. He could see the goose bumps on her from the chill she got when he opened the shower door.

"Cold, Baby?" he mumbled as he went right for her.

Jules didn't spare a moment to answer, instead she leaned forward and immediately kissed him, allowing the heat between them pick up fiercely.

Nick grabbed her hips and roughly lifted her up off her feet. He quickly pushed her hard against the tiled wall.

Jules wrapped her legs tightly around his waist and let her head roll back exposing her neck for him to devour...And he did.

Nick passionately kissed her neck along with the stream of water running down it as well. He moved his right hand off of her hip for a moment and used it to guide his hardened cock inside of her slowly.

Jules quickly wraps her arms around his neck to keep from slipping and she lets herself sink down on top of him. The intense feeling causes Jules to gasp and Nick to quickly begin pounding inside her hard and fast.

"Oh God, Texas, you feel so good," Jules moans into his ear causing Nick to push even deeper inside her.

As he jams himself into her, his head dips down so his mouth can kiss a trail over her bare shoulder and down to her breast. The water continues to furiously beat down against the back of his neck and splash onto the side of Jules' face. Nick gently grazes her nipple with his lips before he takes it completely into his mouth and sucks it hard. As he moves his hips faster and faster at the same time, Jules is flooded with the amazing pleasure that only Nick can give her and she presses her forehead hard against his cheek, moans softly, and tells him how much she loves him.

Just hearing those words intensifies the pleasure she is giving him and he lets himself groan, grips her ass tighter, and pushes inside her harder.

"Oh, Baby, I love you so much…aww, God you feel so fucking incredible, Darlin'," he says never once slowing down his thrusts.

Jules loves hearing him tell her how much he loves her and how good she makes him feel. It fills her with deep emotion and she leans her face into his neck and closes her eyes, letting the water splash over both of them. Suddenly an intense wave of heat overtakes her and she tries hard not to cry out too loudly. Nick relentlessly pounds into her and Jules can't help but to arch her back from the pleasure causing her head to roll backward and bang slightly against the tiled wall. Jules barely feels it though because at that moment, with her body clinging tightly around his, her walls grip his cock and she cums hard.

Nick can feel her clamping tightly around him and he knows he just made her cum with intensity. The feeling makes him slam harder and deeper into her and, with one final thrust and a primal groan, Nick explodes inside her.

With their hearts pounding against each others chests, Nick lets his head fall against her shoulder and Jules can feel him panting hard and fast against her neck.

"You are incredible, ya know that?" she whispers in his ear as she caresses the back of his head.

Nick breathes out the air from his lungs loudly and takes a minute before he responds.

"My God it is so good to be home, Sunshine," he laughs softly, still gripping her tightly against his body. He isn't ready to let her go yet.

With her head still buried in his neck, Jules smiles even though he can't see her and whispers back to him...

"It's good to have you back, Cowboy…

…Welcome home."


	64. Just Listen

I do not own CSI.

Rated T - for language.

**Here ya go! I wrote a nice long chapter for you...even though I didn't get any reviews. So hurtful I tell ya!**

**But, Nick and Jules needed to keep moving. I hope you like it.**

**This chapter focuses around Jules and Nick conversation and Nick and Warrick conversation.**

**I hope you don't think it is boring. Please let me know if you do so I can better my writing, okay?**

**ENJOY!**

**AND PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!**

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She hadn't planned on taking a shower at that crazy hour, but she sure was glad she did. They hadn't done that in quite some time…well, at least not in their own bathroom.

It was nice. Not to mention really, really, good.

With her towel wrapped tightly around her, Jules walked to his dresser and grabbed one of his t-shirts. Nick followed close behind her and growled at her how much he loved her in his clothes.

"Mmmm, ya know how sexy I think you are in my clothes, Baby," he winked, "Come crawl up in my arms and lie in bed with me for a little bit," he told her when he saw she was about to get underwear on and head downstairs.

"You don't want me to make you something to eat before you go to bed?" she asked.

"Naw, I would rather you come in bed with me and go back to sleep…in my arms," he said as he pulled a pair of navy blue sweatpants over his toweled dried body and walked over to the bed.

And Jules did as he asked.

She slipped on her panties, crawled into bed, and snuggled into his arms perfectly. Facing each other with their heads on each pillow they quietly talked. Nick told her all about his John Doe case and Jules listened to every detail he shared. She was proud of him. She was proud of the passion he had for his job and the compassion he genuinely felt for people. She enjoyed listening to him. She liked hearing about things that were important to him. Jules reached over and stroked the side of his hair with her fingers as he spoke.

Nick loved the way her finger tips grazed over his ear. He loved the way she listened to him when he told her all the boring details about how he came to find the identity of one of his unidentified bodies. She never looked bored and she asked him questions if there were things she didn't understand; she seemed genuinely interested and that warmed his heart.

"Am I boring you with this, Darlin'?" he asked unsure.

"Not in the least, Cowboy," she whispered and let her hand rest on his arm., "I love listening to you.

"Oh, good," he smiled, "Oh, by the way, you're brother is mad at me," he chuckled and placed his hand on the side of her hip.

"WHAT? **WHY**?" she propped herself up on her elbow and stared down at him.

"Because I was bustin' his chops about him being…" Nick was about to tell her about his belief that Warrick hooked up with Trista but before he could tell her they had a visitor.

"Mommy?" the little voice came from the foot of the bed.

"Hey, Pretty Girl, what are you doing up? It's too early for you to be up," she smiled and looked at the clock again.

"I sleep with you and Daddy?" she asked quietly still looking very tired.

"Come on, Honey, get on up here," Nick answered and moved away from Jules so he they could fit their daughter in the middle.

Nick never did get a chance to tell her about Warrick and Trista. Instead the three of them nestled into the big bed and fell asleep together.

* * *

He was standing at the island counter in his kitchen drinking a cup of coffee as he watched Jules start to get her things together and head out to take Emma to her swim class. Looking across the counter Nick set his cup down and grinned as he watched his daughter walk in circles on her tip toes and sing "Isssy Bissy Spidaw" over and over again. He couldn't help but grin at her; she looked so cute in her little, pink, flowered, bathing suit. He didn't say anything to her, he just watched as she held her Disney Princess towel tightly under her arm and circled around and around. Finally, when he couldn't stand how cute she was, he walked around to her, reached over and scooped her up into his arms, and growled into her neck.

"You stop it, Daddy!" Emma screamed while laughing, "I is singing my song!" she squealed., "Yaw not listenin' to my song?"

"I'm sorry, Sweet Pea, I was listening, but you make Daddy lose control and have to eat you up!" he continued to growl and snuggle into her neck.

Emma grabbed each side of her father's face with both of her tiny hands and placed her forehead onto his.

"You is funny, Daddy," she grinned only centimeters from his face.

"And you are cute, Emma," Nick told her as he grinned widely.

Jules smiled as she watched her husband and daughter swoon all over each other.

She missed this.

She missed seeing how much they adored one another.

She loved it.

"Okay, okay, I hate to break up this great big love-fest but this little mermaid needs to get to swim class," Jules said.

"Come on, Sweet Pea, wanna be real tall all the way to the car?" Nick asked her as he tossed her up on his shoulders and walked her to Jules' SUV.

He had to duck under the front door frame to get out and Emma loved it.

"Do it again!" she asked excitedly.

Nick turned around, ducked under the door frame, spun around and ducked out again.

"One mo time, Daddy, one mo, kay?" she giggled with delight.

"You gotta get to swim class, Sweets!" he told her.

"One mo, one mo, dats it, kay?" she begged.

"Okay, one more, and that's it," he said as he turned around and ducked in and out one more time.

Once Nick had his daughter buckled into the backseat, he leaned in and growled into her neck one more time and they both laughed.

"Bye, Bye, Daddy, see you laytaw, right?" Emma told her father.

"Right, Princess, I'll see ya later," he tapped her nose just before he closed the door.

Nick walked around to the driver's side, walked up to his wife, who was opening the door to get into her truck. Nick came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back flush with his body.

Leaning into her neck he whispered into her ear, "You know how happy this makes me?"

"What? Us leaving to go to swim class?" she mocked sarcastically she said tilting her head back toward him.

"Nooo, having my family back. Going back to exactly where we left off…well, except now even bigger and better," he raised nodded and winked as he lowered his hands to rest on her belly.

"Are you saying I am getting bigger and fatter?" she joked.

"Oh just shut it, wise ass," he kissed the side of her head hard and he could smell her scent and it drove him mad. "Mmm, I could inhale you, ya know," he whispered in a raspy voice into her ear.

"_**GOOOOOD BYE, NNNICK**_!" she laughed, pushed herself off of him and hopped into her SUV to leave.

Nick chuckled and closed the door behind her. Before she pulled out she rolled down the window.

"Hey, Nick?" she asked.

"Yea, Babe?" he looked back at her.

"Do you think you could pick a couple of things up at the grocery store?" she made an unsure face. She hated to bother him with that chore.

"Yeah, I can just take that list on the fridge, right?" he shrugged.

"No, you don't have to do the whole list…just grab some things for dinner…I'll do rest of the shopping tomorrow," she explained.

"Nah, it's not a problem, Darlin', if I am there why should you go? I'll take the list," he nodded and leaned in to steal another kiss.

"Mmmm," she said as she broke from his kiss, "I so, so, _**soooo **_love you!" she smiled, rolled up the window and pulled away. She smiled at him wider and gave him a little wave as she left.

Nick watched his wife and daughter pull out of the driveway and down the street. Once they were out of view he walked back to the house and decided it was a good time to meet up with Warrick. The two of them had some things to discuss and it was weighing heavily on Nick's mind for days. He called Warrick from his cell phone and they both agreed to meet immediately.

Grabbing his wallet off the desk and shoving it into his back pocket, Nick got his keys off the hook, snatched the grocery list off the fridge and headed out immediately to meet his brother in law.

* * *

Nick pulled out the bar stool slowly as he looked around the bar to make sure Warrick wasn't already there before he sat down. Once he saw that he was not there yet, Nick sat down and ordered himself a Samuel Adams beer. He took a swig of it right from the bottle before placing it down and rubbing both his hands over his face with worry.

Only minutes had passed when he heard Warrick come up behind him and order his beer before he even sat down on the stool beside him.

"Hey, what's up, man," Warrick said as he threw some cash on the bar and sat down.

"Nothin', I just got here," Nick answered looking over his shoulder as Warrick sat next to him.

Nick took a gulp of his beer and then cut right to the chase. He wasn't interested in making small talk. He didn't feel like teasing him about Trista or prying to get more information about it. He had bigger things on his mind and he went straight to them.

"Look, man, we can't fuck around, what are we gonna do about Jules not knowing anything about Jolene and Cole?" Nick said looking over at his brother in law.

"Yeah, I know. I knew that's why you wanted to meet up. We do need to decide how we are gonna tell her," Warrick took a swig of his beer before continuing, "Ohhhhh she is gonna be fired up when she learns about this," Warrick said and made a swooshing noise.

"Ya know what, I honestly am not worried about facing her wrath and the fall out, what bothers me the most is that I really just can't bear hurting her **AGAIN**."

Warrick nodded his head slowly understanding what Nick meant. It was a sad situation.

"You're right, Nick, I know, I know, I dread it," he said as he looked over at Nick," I mean she is finally genuinely happy again," he said before taking another swig of his beer.

"You don't gotta tell me that, brother," he blew out the air from his lungs as he let his head fall back.

"When do you want to tell her?" Warrick asked Nick with a pained look on his face, "…and **HOW **do we tell her?"

"I was thinking, Rick…Maybe…maybe we don't even have to tell her," Nick began to rethink their honesty angle.

Nick wasn't afraid to tell Jules because he didn't want to face any possible wrath…he was concerned about upsetting her. Normally he would have let her work it out, let her process it in her own way, let her even be furious with him and Warrick but this time it was different. Jules had already been through enough stress and that alone was not good for the baby, he did not want to add anything more.

"Nah, I thought about that too, Nick, but…I don't know, I don't think it's a good idea, man, what if she finds out on her own without us owning up to the lies?" Warrick grimaced, "Oh man, she would kill us both with her bare hands!"

"Well, what good would it do for her to know that Jimmy Cole was able to get to her from behind bars anyway?" Nick asked. "Especially since I couldn't even protect her!" Nick said as he shook his head slowly and shamefully.

"No, no, don't you start thinking like that again…you could not possibly see this one coming either. You're a good man, Nick, but you ain't no mind reader. You can't see everything coming, ya know what I mean?" he defended his best friend.

Nick simply nodded knowing he couldn't possibly know the diabolical plan those three bastards all hatched.

Warrick guzzled the rest of his beer and looked back over at Nick.

"Well, if we leave out the fact that Cole had his hand in this, I think we at least should tell her Jolene Parker is alive," Warrick told him.

"No, I disagree. Let's leave it alone, she has been through enough," Nick shook his head in disagreement.

Nick guzzled the rest of his beer in one shot as he thought hard about what Warrick was saying. He wasn't sure he knew the answer. After all what good would it do to tell her the truth? It's not like Jolene Parker was ever a mother to her anyway. Nick just didn't know the answer he just knew he needed to protect his wife and the new baby she was carrying.

Nick sucked in a huge breath of air into his lungs and held it there before blowing it out. He had hoped Warrick would have agreed with him. He didn't want to tell Warrick about her being pregnant without Jules there. It wasn't right; she would want to share this with him but…he had to make Warrick understand that he could not open his mouth to her. Nick let the air out of his lungs.

"Rick, um, I **don't **want to tell her," he said firmly giving it one last shot to make Warrick agree.

"I'm sorry, man, but I gotta tell my sister. We already did her wrong by not telling her, Nick! Why are you suddenly chicken shit about this? I mean, yeah, she will be upset but damn, bro, she will get over it eventually," he exclaimed.

"Warrick…um, well, maybe…" Nick paused and stuttered but he had to explain himself. He said a silent '_I'm sorry, honey_' to Jules in his head and continued on. "Maybe we can tell her in a few months…"

"**WHAT**? That makes absolutely **NO **sense!" he chuckled at how ridiculous that was. "What? Ya wanna get her completely happy and settled, then rip the carpet out from under her **AGAIN**? Nah, I don't think so!"

"Rick, I was thinking 6 or 7 months from now would be a better time; give or take," Nick hung his head a bit looking down at the coaster he spun around nervously with his finger tips.

Warrick looked at Nick like he was a moron.

"**What the fuck is wrong with you, man?**" Warrick said annoyed.

"_**Damn it, Rick…Just listen to me…I can't upset her now.**_ She has been through too much already and I don't want the stress to hurt the baby," he said continuing to spin the coaster.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? I mean really, Nick, you sound like a fuckin' pussy right now! How will the stress hurt Emma?" he shook his head and mumbled 'jackass' under his breath.

"Not Emma…" he said slowly looked over at his brother in law.

"You just said the baby? Whose baby? What are you talking about?" Warrick was not grasping it. The furthest thing from his mind would be that Jules was pregnant.

"My baby…**OUR baby**!" he stuttered, "The baby we're gonna have, man,"

Warrick stared at him. There was dead silence.

"My sister is? My Baby Girl is pregnant? Whattttt?" he asked shocked, "…when? How long have you…I can't believe it," he began to smile and it grew wider and wider. "Aw Nick, man, _**congratulations**_! Wow…what a shock, huh? I mean after everything that just went down. **Wow**!"

"Shock is an understatement. I just found out the other night, man. I didn't want to be the one to tell you…I wanted Jules to tell you but…" Nick gave Warrick a look as if to say _'what was I supposed to do?_'.

"Yeah, don't worry…I won't tell her I know," he said.

"Ohhhh no, no, **no way**…I ain't lying to her again, **noooo**, I will tell her that I told you…I just won't tell her **WHY**!" he nodded and gave Warrick a side smile.

"Ok, so now I understand…I get why you are afraid to tell her but...we might have to...or maybe we don't...I just don't know!" Warrick said bouncing his thoughts back and forth. "I still don't know what to do…what to say…what do we do? **_What if she finds out?_** What if Jolene comes looking for her now" Warrick said worriedly.

Nick sighed. He hadn't thought of that.

"**Fuck**…I don't know…I just don't!" he said exasperated.

Warrick didn't answer.

Nick didn't continue on anymore. He just ordered two more beers.

The two men sat in deep thought for a while silently drinking their beer, not saying a word.

Neither of them could come to a conclusion.


	65. Could Use Some Help

I do not, nor have I ever, owned CSI or CSI characters.

Rated T - for language

**Ok my faithful readers...lucky for you I got a review from a faithful reader who likes my story so much she inspired me to write you all another chapter.**

**Here is some of our sexy Nick Stokes doing things in everyday life...**

**How is it that bringing in groceries is sexy simply because Nick Stokes is the one doing it? **

**Swoon.**

**I have also included some Nick & Emma time...**

**I know you all love to see him in Daddy mode. He is such a good one, isn't he? **

**Swoon, again.**

**Keep in mind you LURKERS - reviews inspire me...take the time to do it even if you don't feel like it. **

**Come on...pretty please?**

* * *

Grabbing several bags of groceries at one time, Nick had the plastic bags looped around just about every finger but couldn't fit the last four so he figured he would just make another trip back for them. As he turned from the trunk of his Jeep Cherokee, he looked up and smiled when he saw Jules and Emma pull in next to him.

"Hey, Darlin', just in time to carry all the bags in for me!" he joked.

Nick didn't really want her to take in any of them.

He had it under control; he just loved teasing her.

Jules smiled wide as she got out of her vehicle and kissed him quickly on the lips before heading to the other side to grab her daughter from her car seat.

Nick made a swooshing noise as she walked away from.

"I love your ass in those jeans, Sunshine," he said in a heavy Texan drawl before she opened the car door to get Emma.

"You're a pervert," she smirked.

"No, you just have a nice ass," he said adamantly as he shook his head back and forth as he laughed.

Jules shook her head and rolled her eyes as she opened the car door, unbuckled her daughter, and scooted her up onto her hip.

Emma wiggled off her mother to get to her father quickly. Emma ran to him and Nick turned to greet her.

"Hi, Daddy," she grinned and put her hands up to him.

"Awww, I'm sorry, Sweetheart, Daddy can't pick you up because I have no more hands! See?" he gave her a sad face and raised both of his arms slightly showing her the many bags of groceries that hung from every finger and each of his wrists, "But you can walk inside with me, okay?"

Jules turned back, went to her truck, and looked around inside, first on her front seat and then the back.

"**Oh shit**!" she yelled.

Emma gasped loudly, "Ooohh Mommy, you saided a bad wawd, you saided it and I heared you!" Emma reprimanded.

"Sorry, Honey, you're right, I did," she winced realizing her error in saying a bad word.

"What's up? What's wrong?" Nick furrowed his brow and nodded upward as he asked her.

"I left her swim bag in the locker room," Jules told him annoyed at herself.

"So, you can go back and get it, right?" he asked.

Jules nodded as she frowned at herself.

"Don't worry, it's no big deal," Nick said calmly, "it'll still be there. Go, I have Emma."

"Okay, let me take the rest of the bags in first though," she walked toward the trunk as she offered.

"No, no, leave 'um… just go," he waved her on with his head.

"Okay, I will be right back," Jules said and hopped back in her truck and pulled away.

"Come on, Pretty Girl, these are heavy, I need you to come inside with me," he said as a way to make sure his daughter stayed close.

Nick turned and walked to the front door; Emma was close behind him jumping over each of the lines in the walkway as she followed.

"Me can be yaw helper, right, Daddy? Me can help you?" Emma asked hopefully.

"You sure can, my Big Girl!" Nick told her sweetly walking up the front steps.

"Me can help…Me… Can… Help…me can help…" she said with every hop up each step.

Nick placed the groceries on the kitchen floor and opened the bottom corner cabinet.

"Ok, Emmy, you see this bag? It has lots and lots of cans in it," Nick pointed and Emma looked at her dad and nodded as Nick continued,

"I want you to sit here on the floor and put each can inside this cabinet," Nick said slowly making sure she grasped the concept.

"Can you do that for, Daddy? It would be a _**very **_big help," he told her.

Emma grinned. "Me can do dat faw you, Dad! I is gonna do dat now!" she said proudly and sat down on the floor in front of the cabinet with the bag near her leg.

"I'll be right back, I am going to go get the last few bags, okay, Honey?" he told her.

Emma smiled at him, "Me is lining dem up on the spinny shelf, Daddy!" she said ignoring where he was going and spinning the lazy-susan inside the cabinet.

"That's awesome, Emmy! You're doing a wonderful job! I knew you could do it!" he encouraged her as she dug through the bag and began lining each can up on the shelf.

Nick knew he would be back in a second and she wouldn't even notice he was gone.

_"That'll take her a good twenty minutes," _he laughed to himself thinking about how such a small task can keep a toddler busy for quite some time.

As he walked out the front door and back to the truck he grabbed the other four bags, twisting the plastic bag handles around his fingers again. He smiled realizing they were more cans, and although they were too heavy to be dangling from his fingers, he knew it would be more cans to keep his little girl busy and happy.

Slamming his trunk down with his bent elbow, he stood for a moment and squinted when he saw a little, maroon, compact car pull up. He noticed it said Hertz Rental on the front license plate cover, but he had no clue who it was inside the vehicle so he waited at the back of his truck and watched carefully as the car pulled up in front of his driveway sideways blocking it completely. His stomach dropped as he watched the blonde woman get out of the car.

"_Oh, no, no, no, oh fuck_," Nick whispered under his breath.

"**Nicky**!" she yelled loudly walking around her car and partially up the driveway.

Nick took a deep breath of disgust and shook his head. He walked, with his grocery bags still wrapped around his fingers, to the middle of the driveway.

"Brooke, it is not a good idea for you to be here," he said sternly.

"I needed to talk to you…I need to understand….I need answers, Nicky…" she said frantically and stopping at the end of the driveway facing him.

The grocery bags had grown even heavier as they hung from his hands. He thought about putting them down but he did not want to encourage this visit.

He swallowed hard at the thought of Jules pulling up soon.

Nick knew this was not going to be good.

In fact, Nick knew this could be nothing less...

...then a recipe for disaster.


	66. Fast and Furious

Nope, I do not own CSI, dammit.

Rated T for language.

**Must be your lucky day, faithful readers!**

**Because I have just banged you out another chapter...thanks to teh couple reviews I got.**

**Told ya I go faster with encouragement.**

**Ok, so last chapter we saw that Brooke Latham pulled up in front of the Stokes' residence.**

**Now we see why she is there and what she wants.**

**What will happen with their confrontation? **

**Will Jules come home and see this mess? **

**Will Nick be able to get rid of her? **

**Oh my, more drama!**

**Now if I could just get more of you to review, Damn it! ;oP**

* * *

As she came closer, Nick could see she was out of sorts. She had changed so much from the Brooke he knew so many years ago. She was no longer the cute, little, fun, girl who was part of his circle of friends. He may not have loved Brooke or wanted her the same way she wanted him, but he did always like and care about her as a friend. But this version of Brooke Latham was not the same one he once knew.

"Nicky, why can't you just talk to me? Why did you let her chase me away? Why did you let her put her hands on me?" she begged.

"Brooke, I **do not want you here**. I do not want my wife to see you here. **This is our home, Brooke!"** he grew angry.

"**She isn't here, Nicky! I know she isn't! I watched her pull away!"** she screamed with her voice shaking. _**"That bitch isn't here!"**_

"**Brooke**! _**Enough**_! Just stop already!" Nick was furious at her behavior.

"**STOP**? You want me to '**JUST stop'**?" she screamed, "_**You ruined my life! **_**YOU DID THIS TO ME**!"

"Whoa, hold on now, Brooke. I didn't do a damn thing to you…_**YOU **_created this fairy tale in your mind that just ain't true!" he told her adamantly.

Nick stared at her intently, trying so hard to get his point across to her.

"You are afraid of her aren't you? You don't want her to know, because you are afraid of her…and afraid she will see you still care about me!" she went on.

"What? **BROOKE**! Do you hear yourself? _**I love my wife**_…I do **not **feel that way about you," he explained far too many times.

"You wrap your arms around her…why didn't you ever hold **ME **like that, Nicky? You whispered in her ear…**what did you tell her that made her laugh, Nicky?"** she asked in a sad and childlike manner.

"Brooke? Have you been watching us?" he stuttered.

"**Just tell me, Nicky,**" she implored.

"I do not know what more I can say, Brooke! I cannot keep trying to defend myself…it isn't doing any good! You need to leave and you need to stop this or I will have you seriously have you locked up; do you understand?" he was growing impatient with her delusions.

Nick thought about telling her what it was that he whispered to Jules…he thought about telling her that he told Jules how happy he was to have his family back…**her **back…**his daughter**…and that he felt even happier knowing they made **another baby **together.

But, Nick stopped.

He didn't tell her what he said…he worried that Brooke was too fragile and that would send her over the edge hearing him say that to her.

He wasn't sure what she would do.

He never intended to hurt Brooke before, but after everything she did to him, he really did want to give her a hurtful dig. And, if she didn't already look so distraught and unstable, he definitely would have.

Although Nick didn't give her the hurtful digs he would have liked to, he did continue to hold his ground and be insistent.

Unfortunately, as he continued to talk to Brooke, he couldn't see that his little girl was toddling out of the front door behind him.

Brooke saw her immediately.

Nick noticed the look on Brooke's face…a mix of pain and sadness. He watched her squat down and hold her arm out. Nick turned to see why and his mouth fell open as he watched Emma smile wide and walk toward her.

"_**Hi!" **_she said excited that there was a visitor at their home, "_**I is Emma!" **_

"Hello, Emma! Can you come say 'hello' to me? Your Daddy told me all about you!" she said sweetly to her.

Nick yelled over to his daughter.

"**EMMA! No**! Stay here with Daddy!" he yelled but not in time.

Emma had already ran and was quickly in Brooke's reach. And, as his little girl turned back to obey her father, it was too late…Brooke grabbed her hand and scooped her up onto her hip.

"**BROOKE! **_**Put her down**_!" he growled and his brown eyes pierced her with fury.

"Well it is very nice to meet you, Emma," Brooke gushed at the little girl.

Nick's heart stopped.

The grocery bags began to slip from his fingers.

"What yaw name is?" Emma asked innocently.

"I'm Brooke, I'm your Daddy's friend!" she explained looking directly into Emma's face as she held her on her hip.

"_**Brooke, I mean it. Put her down**_," he said trying hard to stay calm in order to not frighten his daughter.

"I like yaw neckwiss," Emma said touching Brooke's necklace gently.

"Thank you, Sweet Pea," she said using Nick's term of endearment for his daughter.

Nick noticed immediately. He was not pleased.

Brooke became focused on Nick again. Emma played with her necklace unaware of what was happening around her.

Wildly looking over at Nick, Brooke demanded answers, "I want to know, Nicky…How could **YOU**! How could you watch our best friends all get married? How could you let me think we would be together like they are and then leave me?"

"_**But I never did that, Brooke**_! I told you the truth from the start! I told you we were **friends **and if you couldn't handle it…if you couldn't handle just having a good time together and being close friends…then I would understand. **I told you **I didn't want to be tied down…. And you said you were okay with that!" he insisted, "**I told you, Brooke**…I didn't want what Ship and Amber had…you and I were **NOT **another Josh and Anna…and I **never **looked at you the way Rob looked at Sherry. **I knew from them**, from the way they felt about each other… that you and me…it wasn't what I felt. Not then…not now. **Now stop this insanity and give me my daughter!" **he insisted.

"Nicky, you **did** love me…you just didn't realize what we had. But, you left me for Vegas! And then, and then you left me for HER! **YOU destroyed me again!**" she explained with pure delusion.

"I was living my life **here, **Brooke. I hadn't seen you in years! I have a wife and daughter and **you** tried to destroy them…me…my life. You see that little girl? You see her! You wanted to ruin **her **life too? Why, Brooke? You wanted her to grow up spending every **other **weekend with her father? How could you? We were friends!" Nick asked her furiously.

"**FRIENDS**? But, but I was good enough to fuck?" she said looking defeated, "**No, YOU did this."**

Nick looked over at Emma who was fiddling with Brooke's necklace. He hoped she didn't notice the dirty word coming from Brooke's mouth.

Unfortunately, Emma did hear it and her head jerked up.

"**Ohhh**!" she gasped, "You said a bad wawd! You said dat and dat a bad wawd... my mommy said dat a vevy, vevy bad wawd!" Emma's eyes were wide and she nodded at Brooke. "You should nevaw say dat again!"

"Emma, come here, Baby, come by Daddy," Nick said nervously.

"**NO! NO! She will stay right here**, **NICKY**," Brooke said looking wild and maniacal. "You stay with me, Emma, and look at my pretty necklace, Honey. Would you like to keep it?"

Emma smiled wide and nodded forgetting all about the bad word.

Brooke looked over at Nick again.

"She…_**she**_** should have been **_**ours**_, Nick," she said sadly looking back at Emma.

"No, Brooke… She shouldn't and she isn't. Now let her come to me," he insisted with his fear rising.

"She is beautiful, Nicky. She…she looks just like you. My God. She looks just like you. She looks just like a pretty version of **you**…she…she could have been ours…" she rambled and repeated herself.

Emma looked up and smiled, "My Daddy say I is bootiful too, he say dat, he does," she nodded proudly.

"Brooke, please, just leave her out of this. This is **you and me **talking here. **No one else**. Stay focused, Brooke, " Nick was beginning to worry that Brooke had gone over the edge and might very well do something to his baby.

He had dealt people like this before and he was not liking where this conversation was headed. He was becoming very uneasy.

"Nicky, she looks **nothing **like your wife, ya know," she said with her eyes widened and unnerved.

"She does, Brooke. She does," he said dropping the grocery bags completely and walking closer.

Brooke backed up and frowned.

Nick stopped.

"No, **nope**, no she doesn't. She is your twin, Nicky…a feminine version of you! Her little Nicky nose…Nicky eyes…." she looked at Emma as she spoke.

"Brooke?" Nick said slowly. "_**What are you trying to say**_? " he wondered where she was going with this.

Nick wondered why she kept stating that Emma looked so much like him. He began to conclude that she was making a point but he was not quite sure what that point was yet…but he definitely knew it was in there.

And then, he began to see where her thinking was leading.

"She looks like **you, **Nicky…**not **her. **NOT HER**! She could be **OURS, **Nicky. She doesn't look like that stupid idiot you married…she looks like you and she can be **ours**. We could raise her together and no one would ever know she wasn't mine because she looks like you and then we…" Brooke explained her reasoning but was cut off by Nick.

"Brooke, you are talking crazy now. I know you, Brooke…this is not you, Darlin'" he tried soothing her, "Let me _**listen **_to you…I _**want **_to **hear **you. I need to understand your thoughts. I am so sorry that I hurt you, I **really, really **am," he paused., "Let me take my baby in for her nap, Brooke. I promise I will come right back out to talk to you. Just let me have my little girl," he implored.

"Ha! **NO**!I don't think so, Nicky." she looked down and smiled at Emma.

Emma looked up and smiled at her. "Dat **my **Daddy…how you know my Daddy?" she asked sweetly and pointed to her father innocently.

"I know your daddy, Honey, I know him very, very, well." she said softly.

"You know my Mommy? You know haw?" she tilted her head and squinted her eyes as she asked with her little accent.

"Yep, and your mommy told me she wanted you to come with me, okay?" she told Emma.

Emma frowned unsure if she liked that idea. She stared at her and slowly shook her head _"no"._

"**NO**! _**Hey, WHOA, Whoa, NO, no, she is NOT going with you, Brooke. Ohhh noooo, no, no…**_" he said loudly beginning to walk towards Brooke angrily.

He had had enough.

He wanted his daughter and he wanted her **now**.

He would take Brooke to the ground if he had to.

Emma began to get nervous from the idea of going with Brooke and her father's tone startled her. She tried to scoot herself down off Brooke's hip but Brooke gripped her tighter to keep her from going to her father.

Nick reached into his pocket and took out his phone. He hit the speed dial for Brass.

"**Put your phone down, Nicky**!" she demanded angrily.

"No, I am calling Ship…we need to sort this out and he can help, right? Just like old times?" he said soothingly.

"Sort it out? " she said with disgust.

Nick nearly gasped when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jules' SUV pull down the block.

He knew this could be bad.

Very bad and…

…he needed to get to his daughter fast.


	67. Fury Unleashed

I do not own CSI.

Rated T for foul language.

**Ok, folks...my Traffic Log has failed again which means I have no idea how many of you are reading. **

**Which now means you MUST review or else I don't think any of you are interested and I have no readers...surely you want to know what happens with our Nick and Jules, right? Don't you want to know if they survive Brooke? **

**If they survive Cole? **

**If they have another baby? What will it be? A Boy or a Girl? Name?**

** Trista and Warrick?Will they hook up again? Will Jules find out about it?  
**

**There are so many loose ends to tie up...it would be a shame not to finish it. **

**Sigh. Oh the humanity of it all!**

**Okay, I got this chapter out for you so I don't leave you hanging on a wire waiting to know how Jules will handle the sight of her daughter in Brooke Latham's arms. **

**Oh boy...there is drama...there is trouble...there is once again a trust Jules has in Nick that is unending...**

**Read on and please take a moment to review (in detail if you can!) so I know you want me to continue.**

**Thank you, Darlings! Now I hope you ENJOY!**

* * *

Jules was singing along with the music when she saw Nick talking in the driveway to someone standing a couple feet away from him. The closer she got the more nervous she became. She turned her radio down as if it would somehow control her panic. She saw her daughter being held by the woman she most wanted to kill. She sped up and parked across the street since Brooke's car was blocking her driveway.

As she got out of her truck she looked at Nick who stood in the middle of the driveway. Nick looked at Jules and she spotted the fear in his eyes and that made her want to sink to the ground.

Brooke didn't seem to notice Jules. Brooke didn't seem to notice anything anymore.

"**SORT THIS OUT, NICKY? **_**Seriously**_**? **There is nothing to sort out! I am in over my head with degenerate people…He threatened me…she threatened sex acts on me…this is a nightmare!" she screamed and Emma jumped.

"**YOU created this nightmare, Brooke!" **Nick said growing increasingly uneasy and he could feel it.

He knew he needed to stay calm for Emma and for Brooke's stability.

"Brooke, we've been friends a long time, Darlin', right? We can talk about anything…let's talk about it, " he put his hands up disarmingly still holding the phone, "Maybe we can get a hold of Ship? How about Josh and Anna? Sherry? Rob? All of them…we will all sit down like old times and talk about it, okay?"

"**NO! There is nothing to talk about anymore! You **did this to me, Nicky!" she screamed, **"I don't care about the money Cole paid me anymore**…I just want **YOU **back….and now I got them threatening me…I can't take it anymore, Nicky," she said sadly.

Nick gulped. He didn't want Jules to hear that.

"I got a madman who can get to me even while he is in prison…I made a deal with the Devil, Nicky! **Jimmy Cole is the devil and I don't know how to get out of it!" **she told him fearfully. "I am scared!" she began to cry.

Nick didn't care about Brooke's tears. He saw the fear in his daughter's eyes. He saw his little girl's bottom lip turn down, and he could see her becoming very upset.

"**GIVE ME MY GODDAMN DAUGHTER, BROOKE!" **Nick was losing his composure.

He had no more soothing words for her.

He was all out of patience.

* * *

Jim Brass saw Nick Stokes calling him and he answered rather quickly.

"What's up, Nick?" he said but heard nothing on the other end.

"Nick? Nick, you there?" he could hear faint speaking before suddenly hearing him yell something about giving him back his daughter.

Brass stood up and closed his office door to hear better.

Suddenly he was getting the idea that Nick and his little girl were in trouble. This realization made Brass's heart pound in his chest.

Jim Brass had a soft spot for Nick's family. He had seen them through a lot and he was happy they made it through it all. When Jules lay dying he could feel the sadness for Nick and Warrick and he never, ever, forgot it. When they got married he flew out to Texas for the celebration. When they had their daughter it reminded him of Ellie and he fell in love with that little girl too.

Hearing Nick scream that he wanted his daughter made Brass weak in the knees.

Brass picked up the phone on his desk and ordered two units to the Stokes' residence immediately. He jumped up from his seat and wasn't sure if he should be relieved to see Warrick walking out of the lab or if he should dodge him like the plague. He knew he couldn't hold this information back. He might not know what it all meant, but he just didn't like what his gut was saying. He decided he should tell Warrick. Walking out into the hall completely, he met Warrick head on.

"Rick, don't panic, okay?" he said nervously.

"About what, Brass?" he frowned.

"I think we got trouble at your sister's house," he winced at the look on Warrick's face.

"My sister? Is she in trouble?" he said lowering the folder he was carrying and almost spilling its contents.

"I don't know, I just could hear Nick yelling at someone…he obviously made the call to let me know something was wrong," Brass said trusting his instincts.

"Brooke? Brooke fuckin' Latham? I know it…Oh God…" he said and the two men tore off to Brass's car.

* * *

Jules watched in horror as Nick was becoming unglued. She looked at him speechless. He looked back at her and shook his head slowly letting her know she was not to say one word.

She understood what he was telling her and she obeyed.

Nick focused back to Brooke as cans left the confines of their grocery bag and began to roll past his feet and down the driveway. Emma spotted the cans immediately and pushed herself away from Brooke.

"Let me go now…dat my job!" she said staring at the cans.

"No, you stay with me, **Emma**!" she held tighter.

"I get to do dat…I help Daddy wit cans…Daddy said dat me can do dem!" she said angrily and frowned. "Ohhh!" Emma gasped watching the cans roll into the street, "OH NO! You letting dem rowl into da steet!"

Nick wondered if his toddler's strong will would get to the very unstable Brooke who obviously needed to be treated with kid gloves.

"Emmy, you can still do the cans, Honey, just be patient, okay?" he soothed her.

"Dem cans aw my job, Dad, you said dat, right?" she nodded emphatically.

"_**Just shut up about the fucking cans**_, **EMMMMA**!" Brooke shook her.

Jules could feel the fury building, but she also felt relief when she heard the sound of sirens and saw the look on Nick's face telling her to stay right there. She knew she could trust her husband and so, with every ounce of restraint she could muster up, she stayed right where she was.

Two marked police cars pulled up as Nick watched his daughter's lip quiver. Brooke yelled at his baby and it upset her terribly.

"**DON'T start fucking crying now**!" she said and grabbed Emma's face and squeezed her cheeks together hard, "**DO you hear me? You got more of your mother in you than I thought!" **she yelled in his little girl's face and Emma began to cry hard.

"**I SAID STOP CRYING!"** Brooke grabbed Emma's ponytail and yanked it, "**You look like your mother when you cry! Those same Goddamn eyes!**"

This enraged Nick more then he ever could imagine. Nick felt his daughter was now in danger and it made an animal instinct inside him become unleashed.

Jules and the two officers, who were already out of their cruisers, watched with shock as Nick made a beeline for Brooke's neck with one hand.

Nick Stokes had never, in all his life, ever touched a woman violently. Even Jolene Parker got away with far too much without being harmed in any way, but this…Brooke holding his little girl against her will, threatening to take her, putting her hands roughly on her face, pulling her hair, and making her cry hysterically sent him over the edge.

Nick didn't even realize he was grabbing Brooke by her neck and pushing her backward all the way to her car. With his other arm he scooped his daughter over onto his hip and she clung to him with fear. Even as Emma wrapped her arms around her father's neck tightly and buried her face in his neck, Nick never took his hand off Brooke's neck. He continued to hold a tight grip even after she began gasping for air. He slammed her against the side of the maroon, compact car and pinned her there by the throat. Jules ran to him and immediately grabbed Emma from him, whisking her off and running into the house with her to shield her from the violence and chaos.

Once his daughter was off of him, Nick began to yell and the veins in his neck bulged.

"**YOU EVER, EVVVER TOUCH MY DAUGHTER AGAIN, I WILL KILL YOU…DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME? DON'T YOU EVER TOUCH MY LITTLE GIRL AGAIN…DO YOU FUCKING HEAR ME, BROOKE? **_**DON'T YOU EVER LAY A FINGER ON MY DAUGHTER!**_**" **he screamed in her face.

Brass and Warrick pulled up in time to see the ferocity Nick was uncharacteristically unleashing on Brooke Latham. Warrick knew, as soon as he saw Nick putting his hands on Brooke, that Brooke must have done something to Nick's wife or daughter to set him off like that. Warrick wasted no time and ran directly into the house disregarding Nick's temper and going straight for his sister and niece.

Officer Turner and Captain Jim Brass grabbed Nick's shoulders as Brooke beat on his chest to let her go.

"**STOKES! **_**STOKES**_**! STOP**!" Officer Turner yelled.

Brass grabbed Nick's shoulder.

"Nick, I get it…Believe me…I've got a daughter…I understand that you will die for your kids…but I can handle this…trust me. _**You trust me, Nick**_?" he spoke firmly yet softly.

Nick snapped back to reality when he heard Brass's words. He let go of Brooke's neck and she gasped for air.

He stopped.

He did trust Brass.

He knew Jim understood the innate reaction was to protect your child at any cost.

Nick Stokes was willing to even take down a woman if it meant he was protecting his daughter.

Nick backed up and leaned over, breathing hard, he rested his palms on his thighs, and looked down at the ground in order to catch his breath.

Brass looked at Officer Turner who was looking from Nick to Brass as if to ask who should he arrest.

Brass shook his head in regards to Nick and nodded toward Brooke.

"_**Turner, read her her rights and get her the hell out of here**_!" he screamed and headed over to Nick. "Book her for assault on a minor, attempted kidnapping, and trespassing, got it? And get her in the back of your car NOW!"

Both officers took part in arresting Brooke Latham and getting her off of the Stokes' property in a flash.

Brass put his hand on Nick's shoulder and saw immediately that Nick was holding back his tears and trying to regain his composure. Nick was completely aware that he had just lost all control over himself and it was startling for him.

"I think I could have killed her, Brass," he said admitted with shame.

"Listen, I've known you for a long time, Nick, you are not a guy who puts their hands on women…_**don't you dare feel you were wrong here, this was different**_! **YOU did what you had to to protect your kid, do you hear me?"** he defended Nick's actions.

Nick looked up at Brass and let out the air from his lungs.

"Where are they? Where is Jules and Emma?" he asked.

"Inside, Nick, inside," Brass said quietly.

He didn't say anything more. He simply nodded, turned and began to walk away quickly.

All Nick Stokes needed was to go find his wife and daughter….

…and that is exactly what he did.


	68. Just Forget About It

I do not own CSI.

Rated T

**Wow, I got some great reactions from my readers about Nick's protective rage. Thank You!**

**Thank you for the reviews! **

**My Traffic Log is still down so I am going to need those reviews now more than ever!**

**** Here is your next chapter... Poor little Emma. She was just terrorized. **

**Will she be okay? Sure she will...she's a Stokes.**

**How will Jules react to the news of Cole? What will they tell her?  
**

**This chapter will tell you what went on INSIDE the Stokes' house AFTER the chaos that erupted outside was over.**

**Chapter includes The Stokes, Warrick, and Brass.****

* * *

He could hear his daughter crying as soon as he walked into the foyer. It made him sick. He looked over at Brass and gave him a look of rage. It made him furious that Brooke hurt his little girl. Brass followed Nick straight to the kitchen. Nick looked into the den to see Jules and Emma sitting on the couch. Warrick was pacing back and forth in front of them obviously fuming. Nick was surprised to even see Warrick; he didn't even know he was there…he hadn't seen him at all. But what saddened him most was seeing Jules' worried face as she cradled his crying daughter.

Emma was crying and was trying to get her words out.

"Mommy, she pullwit like dis" Emma cried to her mother and demonstrated how Brook yanked her pigtail. "AND she squeezded my cheeks like dis" and she squeezed her face.

The more Emma tried to illustrate what happened the more tears she cried, the more Jules own lip quivered, and the more Warrick paced.

"I know, I know, Sweetheart, I know…don't cry, Honey, Daddy took care of her…she can't hurt you anymore, okay?" Jules stroked Emma's hair, "Don't think anymore about it…it's over…she's gone. You don't have to show me anymore, okay?"

"Why she hawt me, Mommy? Why she do dat?" Emma asked still shaking.

"She is sick, Honey, she wasn't thinking right," Jules explained softly to her little girl who wanted to know why Brooke would want to hurt her.

"She go to doctaw's now?" she asked with her tears slowing.

"Yes, Honey, she is gone…she went to get help for her bad behavior," Jules looked up and saw Nick standing there.

Her face wilted at the sight of him.

Nick went straight toward her and knelt in front of them, hugging them both at the same time.

Nick brushed away some hair that had fallen on her tear streaked face.

"You were very brave, Emma...Daddy is so proud of you!" he told his daughter who smiled softly at what her father was saying.

"I is brave, right?" she said repeating him suddenly looking very sleepy.

Nick kissed her forehead hard and brushed his nose against hers. Emma snuggled down into her mother's arms. Nick buried his face on Jules' knees trying hard to be strong.

Jules put her hand on the back of Nick's head and stroked it gently.

No more words were spoken between them.

* * *

Warrick had seen Nick and Brass walk in and wanted to know what happened. He was happy to see his sister and niece were fine, but he now wanted answers to his multitude of questions.

Warrick was the typical pillar of strength though and he waited. He kept his mouth shut, he stuffed his anger down and he waited until the dust settled. He paced back and forth in front of Nick, Jules, and Emma as if he were a guard dog on patrol.

None of them were sure how much time had passed but it hadn't been all that long before the trauma tired Emma out and she fell asleep soundly in her mother's and father's arms. She was wiped out.

"She's asleep," Warrick told them looking down at Emma.

Jules looked down and saw her brother was right.

Nick stood up and took Emma from her arms. He stared at his daughter a minute. closed his eyes and shook his head. He kissed her hair and left the room to carry her up the stairs and to her bed. It was almost an hour earlier then her usual bedtime, but Nick and Jules knew she would be out for the night after the stressful day she just had. They were happy she was asleep now...she didn't have to reenact anymore of her encounter with Brooke.

* * *

Jules was obviously shaking. Her hands were trembling and she was out of sorts. She and Warrick went into the kitchen and Brass and Warrick sat down at the table. Jules grabbed a few bottles of water from the fridge and placed each one on the table for herself, Brass, and Warrick. She didn't know if they wanted them or not, she just didn't know what else to do with herself.

Warrick and Brass looked over at Jules as she sat down.

"Baby Girl, what the fuck just happened here?" Warrick asked with shock.

"I have no idea! We have to hear it from Nick. I went to go get Emma's swimming bag and I came right back. When I came around the corner I saw her, Rick…she was holding Emma and…" she felt the panic rise in her throat and she paused. Warrick touched her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Nick came down the stairs and into the kitchen. He walked up behind Jules' chair and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"I am so sorry," he whispered and placed his cheek on the top of her head.

"Don't you dare blame yourself for this, Nick, she is fucking nuts!" she turned in her chair a bit to face him.

Nick kissed the top of her head and walked around to the empty chair and sat down.

Brass looked over and shook his head.

"Smart move with the phone, Nick, I almost hung up till I heard you yell about your daughter," Brass explained.

All four of them sat around the table and discussed the nightmare that ensued in front of Nick and Jules' home. Brass took their statements and hung around a bit to talk about it before he got up and said he had to go back to the station and get things moving. He seemed disgusted by what took place just as much as the others.

Nick stood up and walked Brass to the door, leaving Warrick and Jules at the table.

"Jim, listen, man," Nick took a shaky breath and exhaled with the same shakiness, " I cannot thank you enough…if you hadn't listened to my call…if you hadn't shown up… I don't know what I would have done to her, man, I really…" Nick explained but Brass cut him off.

"C'mon, don't go there, Nick," he touched his shoulder, "You did good…you had the presence of mind to call me…be proud of that. You got your daughter away from a lunatic…you tried **every which way until **_**you had to **_take her down…be proud of yourself, Nick…you protected your daughter," he nodded, "I'm proud of you."

Nick nodded and felt his throat tighten. He reached out and shook Brass's hand and gave him a shoulder hug and they patted each others backs.

"I will be in touch if I have any more questions or if I need you to give another statement," Brass said walking out the door.

"Thanks again, Jim," Nick nodded and closed the door behind him.

Brass turned to walk out but stopped for a moment.

"Listen, Nick, I am gonna talk to Gil…I think you should stay home with your wife and daughter tonight, don't you?" he nodded sympathetically.

Nick hadn't even thought about work. He blew the air from his lungs and looked up at the ceiling. He hated not going in but he did think Jules could use him by her side tonight.

"Tell him to call me…I will plan on coming in unless I hear from him," Nick nodded and Brass nodded back.

* * *

"You think it is over now, Rick?" she asked him softly.

"I do. I think so, Baby Girl," he reached over and rubbed the top of her hand.

Jules looked up at her brother with a little girl's face and a few tears sneaked from her eyes.

"That bitch hurt my girl, Warrick," she said with her lip quivering.

"Nah, Emma is tough…she came out of this fine," he squeezed her hand, "She will forget all about this soon," he comforted.

Nick walked in and heard their conversation. He heard Jules' voice cracking and strained. He knew she was trying hard not to cry.

"Aw, no, no, Baby, don't cry, okay?" he said feeling his emotions creep up again.

Nick walked next to her and she stood up from her chair and hugged him tightly.

"Darlin' you did good, you stayed right where I wanted you to," he told her.

"I could see it in your eyes, Nick, I knew what you were telling me…I went on trust, Texas," she said and looked up at him with her tear streaked face.

"You did good, Sweetheart, you did good," he kissed her softly and then hugged her tightly again.

Both of them sat down and discussed it more at length.

"Okay, look," Warrick's strong tone took over, "listen to me… this was horrible, yes, I get it, **BUT**…Emma will be fine. No one was hurt, right?" he looked at both of them one at a time and then continued, "what went down here today _**may be a good thing…**_"

"**WHAT**?" Jules said horrified.

Nick looked across the table at his brother in law and nodded slowly knowing where Warrick was going with this.

"He's right, Honey, he is actually dead on," Nick told her, "No one got hurt and the outcome is good…we can lock her up now," he smiled, "We had **nothing **to hold her on before…we do now."

Jules nodded and then squinted.

Then, she frowned and then took a long sip of water.

Warrick and Nick looked at each other. Nick had a feeling he knew what was coming.

Jules put her water bottle down and stared at both of them.

"_**Something you boys need to fucking tell me?**_" she said with a steely tone.

Warrick looked at Nick.

Nick's stomach turned hoping Warrick wouldn't reveal Jolene's role in this mess. Jules only knew about Cole. So he quickly spoke before Warrick could, but not before kicking Warrick under the table. Jules already heard about Cole so it** had to **come out, but there was nothing good that come from the second part…the part about her mother.

"I know you heard her mention Cole's name. And yes…he was involved," Nick rubbed the back of his head.

"**YOU BOTH KNEW THAT, DIDN'T YOU!" **she said angrily. "**I want the fucking truth, guys! I mean it" **she frowned.

"We knew," Nick said with a look of nervousness .

"**HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL ME SOMETHING LIKE THAT!" **she said throwing her arms up, **"YOU ASSHOLES! SUCH ASSSSHOLLLES!" **she paused, "**AND HOW THE FUCK DOES SHE EVEN KNOW JIMMY?" **Jules demanded.

Nick blew the air from his lungs…this was going to be a long night.

* * *

Quite some time had passed and Jules was still on a roll.

She would finally stop yelling and talk normal…she'd talk about what happened on their driveway… then she would get fired up about Cole's involvement…and then she would get pissed off at the two of them all over again.

Around and around it went.

"You two…**UGH**!" she yelled up at the ceiling. "If I wasn't so distracted by the thought of Cole still trying to wreak havoc on me and my life I swear to God…**BOTH **of you!" she yelled, "I swear I would stand up and bang both your heads together for being such fucking assholes!" she glared at them both.

Finally Warrick asked the question that he kept thinking for the past hour.

**_"_**How are we assholes, Baby Girl? Because we _**didn't tell you**_ about Cole's part in it?" Warrick defended.

Nick turned his head to the side and grimaced.

"**UHHH YEAH!" **she yelled at Warrick.

"And exactly_** WHAT good **_would it do for you to know_**? What? Tell me? Would it make it hurt less?" **_he spoke loudly back at her.

"_**Because I should know…I'm not a timid little girl, Warrrrrick! Stop protecting me from evvvverything!" **_she frowned at her brother.

"No, I know you are not timid! **But you are pregnant** and you have **already been through** **waaaay toooo much shit** and stress for this baby!" Warrick defended.

Jules whipped her head over to Nick. She shook her head disgustedly.

Nick ran his palm down his face. Warrick looked over at him and frowned.

"**NICK**!" Warrick yelled at him. "You are acting like **such** a pussy right now! _**TELL HER! Make her understand that it wasn't something she NEEDED to know!**_" Warrick said hating to be the only one confronting Jules.

Nick was about to defend himself but Jules stood up, placed her hands on the table and leaned toward them.

"You two are idiots. No really…fucking jerks! _**I know WHY you did it **_but you're still assholes," she frowned. "I can't think about any of this anymore…this has been a crazy ass, nightmare of a day. I got my daughter being traumatized by a psycho bitch, who by the way, if I ever get my hands on, will be **murdered**…I find out that my psycho ex is also involved and paying money to hurt me **AND **I find out my brother and my husband knew about it and were too chicken shit to tell me," she took a deep breath after rattling out her rant. "I am going to take a shower. I am going to take a shower, I am going to get my pajamas on, and maybe I'll even read... and then… I am going to bed. I am not thinking about this anymore. I just can't. It makes me literally sick!" she threw her arms up in the air annoyed.

Jules got up and turned from the table. She headed out of the kitchen toward the hall but turned around suddenly.

"**AND YOU!" **she pointed to Nick.

Nick's face looked surprised...he thought he was out of the line of fire.

Jules continued, "**YOU can just FORGET about getting LAID!" **she yelled, turned back around, and stormed up the stairs.

Warrick winced. "Uckkk," he grimaced at the thought.

Nick winced. "Ah shit," and he too grimaced at the thought.

* * *

Nick rubbed the back of his neck. He got up from the kitchen table and went to the refrigerator. Taking out two beers, popped their caps off, threw them on the counter and placed them both on the kitchen table.

"Thanks man, I need this," Warrick said and guzzled nearly half of it. "I don't know what's worse…" Warrick said wiping his mouth with his sleeve, "...knowing she is so mad that she wants to bang our heads together or hearing my sister say getting LAID…_**uckkkk**_," he shivered.

Nick laughed quietly and rested his forearms on the table.

"She's scared," Nick said after he took a drink of his cold beer. "You know she is. That's why she just took a fit…it's fear, man," Nick said and took another drink.

"Yeah…yeah, I hear ya, you're right," Warrick nodded and rubbed his face with his hand.

"**And that's **why I didn't jump in, Bro," he said looking at Warrick, " ...so fuck you with calling me a pussy!" he laughed.

Warrick chuckled and shook his head slightly.

Warrick and Nick drank their beers and discussed everything that went on that day. They had had a day from hell and thankfully Nick didn't have to go into work in just a few hours like Warrick did. When Gil Grissom called earlier, Nick stepped out of the kitchen to talk to him while Jules continued to lace into Warrick. Grissom told him didn't have to come in under the circumstances but…Nick didn't know if that was a good thing or bad…knowing how his night was going to go with Jules, he wondered if it would be easier just to go into work. But Nick knew he needed to stay home tonight. He was glad. He wanted to be home with his wife and daughter. He wanted to hold Jules all night long and let her feel safe with his protective arms around her. He needed to be there for his girls. He thanked Griss for understanding and told him he would be happy to work a double soon to make up for it.

Suddenly Warrick stood up and pushed his chair in.

"I gotta go, Boss," Warrick said finishing up his beer. "I hope I can catch and hour of sleep before I gotta go back in."

Nick nodded.

As much as Jules was mad, they both thought long and hard and decided to **not** tell her about Jolene's part too. They just still felt it wasn't necessary. Too many things were going on and it would do no good for her to learn they lied to her about that too and her mother was indeed alive.

Enough had been done and said. How much more could she take in one night? They weren't sure they were making the right decision so they decided they just wouldn't make the decision at all right now.

And so, Nick and Warrick both agreed that no more would be revealed at least for tonight.

They would think about it another day.


	69. Done On Purpose

Guess what...I do not own CSI!

Rated M for language and sexual innuendos.

**Got another chapter for you thanks to some cool reviews. THANK YOU! **

**Especially to the NEW reviewer who told me even her friends love my story. Wow. Thanks!**

**I need to know if tying the loose end with Nick and his college friends was too boring so I know what to skip over and assume you figured out how it would go. **

**But, if you like it, knowing how Nick handled things, then let me know. **

**Personally, I think it makes it more realistic but I would like to hear your thoughts on it too.**

**This is a fluff chapter. **

**I think it will make you smile. It is what I am aiming for after all the chaos the last few chapters made you endure.**

**I hope you enjoy Nick and Jules' banter back and forth as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

**Thanks and remember...REVIEW because my Traffic Log is still not working and it says I have ZERO readers...I will only know that is not true if I get reviews!**

* * *

He hated to call Ship this late knowing he just had a baby and he and Amber were getting used to being first time parents, so he called the next best thing…his buddy Rob. He needed to tell him what happened with Brooke today and he knew it would blow his mind too.

"Hey, Nicky, what's up!" Sherry's cheerful southern voice greeted him.

"Hey, Sher, What's up, you ask? **What's up? **You will _**not believe **_what is up!" Nick began his conversation, "Is Rob around?"

"Yea, he is in the kitchen, '_**HEY, ROB! It's NICKY**_!'…. He's coming, Nick," she said.

"Wait, you will want to stay on the phone for this one too, Sherry," he told her.

Nick spent an hour telling them all about what happened after Josh and Anna's wedding all the way to Brooke showing up in front of his house today. The old friends were horrified and deeply saddened at how their friend Brooke had lost her mind.

"Nicky, man, why didn't you call us sooner? Maybe we could have talked sense into her!" Rob said.

"I didn't know what the fuck was true, untrue, or what. I called you guys but you were on vacation…Ship and Amber just had their baby…and Josh and Anna just got married…You think I cam gonna fuck up your lives just because Brooke was fucking up mine?" he explained.

The old college friends talked and talked about the sadness that just took place. The sadness of Brooke's deterioration and her impending jail time.

"I am telling you guys right now…I want all of you to know this…I will make sure she goes away for this…**do not ask me **to think about the old Brooke…to think about the good times we all shared because she is **DONE**…she is fuckin' **GONE**, man…**GONE**," Nick said adamantly.

"No, No, Nicky, of course, come on…we're behind you completely, you know that!" Rob and Sherry agreed.

"Listen, please do me a favor…you guys tell Josh and Ship and the girls…I am too tired. I am too drained. I just want to go upstairs and get in bed with my wife. I just want to get away from today and look forward to tomorrow," he told his friends. "All I have left to say is _**she should just be very thankful,**_" Nick said slowly and seriously.

"Thankful? For what?" Rob asked on the other end of the phone.

"Thankful that I didn't **kill her **tonight," Nick said flatly.

And he meant it.

* * *

Nick shut the lights off and headed to bed. He began unbuttoning his shirt on the way up the stairs to his room. He was so beat. He could not believe what went on today. It was more than he ever expected or could even imagine. He didn't feel bad about putting his hands on a woman…he didn't know if that was a good thing or bad. Either way, he really didn't care.

As Nick made it to the top of the stairs he took his shirt off completely and held it in his hand. He peeked in on his daughter first. Walking bare chested into her room, he knelt down next to her bed and stroked the side of her face with the side of his index finger. She was so precious and all he wanted to do was to just stare at her awhile.

"Daddy is so sorry, Sweet Pea. I'm sorry she scared you today…but I promise you…I promise you that Daddy will make sure she doesn't touch you ever, ever, again…you **or **Mommy," he whispered next to her ear.

Emma rolled over and began sucking her thumb. Nick knew she was peaceful and that was all he needed to see. He knew she was okay. She was dreaming happy things and life was back to normal for her. Kids were resilient he knew, but it made him happy just seeing her at peace.

He wasn't so sure that the other love of his life would be sleeping as peacefully just yet. Nick leaned over and kissed his daughter's head again, stood up, and headed out of her room with his shirt under his arm. Closing the door slightly, Nick headed to his room.

As he opened their bedroom door he could smell her sexy scent immediately. He loved the scent of her lotion. It smelled up the whole room when she put it on after her shower. He loved the smell…it smelled like 'her'.

Nick tossed his shirt on the chair in the corner and was unbuckling his pants when she walked out of their bathroom. He continued to take off his pants but he watched her as he did it. He scanned her body and her Kiwi Mellon scent was heightening his senses and he knew SHE knew it.

Jules didn't look his way. She walked past him without even taking a minute to glance at him standing in only his gray boxer brief underwear like she usually would. Nick watched her continue to lotion up her arms in front of her dresser. As if he was entranced by the smell, he looked at her bare legs and followed them up to the hem of her lavender silk slip nightgown. His eyes traced the black lace trim and followed the lace accent up to where it framed her breasts. Nick took a deep breath and his eyes now followed the thin, silk, straps that caressed her shoulders. Her neck invited him to watch simply by looking smooth and delicious.

Jules continued to ignore his blatant stares and she bent over and let her hair dangle over the floor. She brushed it around with her fingers and shook it to get the remaining dampness out. She knew damn well he was watching her. She knew knew damn well bending over like that and seeing her hair flow down made him want her even more than the silky nightgown she was wearing.

"You are punishing me, aren't ya, Sunshine?" he said slowly as if he had drool coming from his mouth.

"No," she said simply.

"You smell delicious…and uh, I like when you dry your hair like that," he said lustfully.

"Thank you," she said flatly.

Nick tried hard not to be so entranced by her. He walked over to his dresser and fumbled through the drawers looking for a pair of boxers to sleep in. He knew it was pointless to pretend not to notice her. He was so addicted to her and it was obvious. He just couldn't help himself. And, as only an addict would, he kept looking back at her.

Jules tried hard not to smile. She knew he loved that lotion. She knew he loved when she flipped her hair over. She knew he was watching her move around the room in her silk and lace, little, nighty. And she was glad.

Finally Nick spun around, _**"YOU are doing this to me on purpose!"**_

"What? Doing whatttt?" she said with attitude.

"You know you look hot. You know you smell good enough to eat. You know how hot I think your body is…**YOU **are teasing me!" he trailed on continuing to scan her.

"If I was trying to tease you, Nicholas, I would have worn one of your dress shirts and no panties at all…**SEE**…I have panties on!" she said trying hard not to smile as she lifted her silk nightgown up and showed him a tiny lace thong that matched the lace on her nightgown. "So **NO**, I am _**NOT trying to tease **_**YOU**!"

Nick stared at her underwear and then gasped when he saw her bend over and pick up his pants off the floor. As she bent over he could see her bare ass cheeks and a small piece of her lace panties.

"**You don't wear thongs to bed!" **he yelled with desperation.

"Oh, oops," she said as she looked back at him and pretended to straighten up quickly pulling her nightgown down to cover herself better.

Nick continued whining, "**AND **you usually wear cute cotton nightshirts or shorts not silk and lace… And you clip your hair **UP **when you sleep…you…you are letting it cascade over your silky shoulders and down your sexy shoulder blades and…**SEE! YOU GOT ME CRAZY!"**

"Noooo, Cowboy…I didn't **GET you **crazy! You **WERE ABSOLUTELY CRAZY **when you decided _**not to tell me about Cole's participation **_in trying to make the life we know life a living hell!" she flitted by him and into the bathroom.

"UGHHHH!" he groaned and looked at the ceiling.

He was about to explain why he did it…why he kept the secret but he knew she already knew why they did it. He knew deep down she might not agree with their decision but she understood or she wouldn't be acting this way. She wasn't **as **mad anymore and he could see it in her demeanor. That did not mean she wasn't going to make him crazy just for payback. Nick knew he was going to have to suffer and she was making sure he suffered for sure.

Nick rubbed his hands over his face and then followed her into the bathroom, but **first ** he threw the boxers he planned on wearing to bed on the dresser, took off his underwear, brought them with him into the bathroom and threw them into the hamper letting the wicker and metal lid slam loudly so she would look up. He knew she spotted him. But to make sure he walked across to the linen closet and pulled out a towel.

Jules was brushing her teeth and when she looked up she saw him in the mirror completely naked. He took her breath away with his chiseled body_. "That bastard is getting even with me," _she thought and looked away from his sexy body and purposely put the mouthwash back under the sink.

Nick had to look away fast again too because Jules made a point to bend over again to put something under the sink. "_Oh, she's freakin' good, that dirty, little, minx is gooood," _he thought to himself. Placing his towel on the hook by the shower he turned on the water and got in.

Jules sneaked a peek at his steamy silhouette but refused to join him or let him know how much he gets to her too.

Instead, she headed out of the bathroom but before she did, she leaned over and flushed the toilet. She heard him yell as she scurried out.

"**WHOA! You did it on purpose, you rat!**" he yelled as he jumped back from the hot water with a smirk on his face. "_Damn, she is a little bitch when she wants to be…God I want her so fucking bad!"_ he thought to himself as he washed his hair.

* * *

Nick came walking out of the shower in a plush, white, towel wrapped around his waist. Jules refused to look over because she knew how much she loved the way he looked like that. Instead, she crawled under the covers and turned off the lamp on her end table.

Nick tried one last attempt to make her melt. He took off her towel and flung it at her. The damp towel hit her on the side of her head and she took it off and bolted upright. When she turned to bitch at him she saw him standing there naked with that Nick Stokes smile that grabbed her heart from the first day she met him. But Jules was stronger than him. She had a tough and determined streak in her that stemmed back from her childhood. She would never allow him to win. This was HER game and she would never let him win it.

Jules threw the towel back at him and disregarded his sexy body and his heartwarming smile that showed his adorable dimples. It took every ounce of restraint she had but she did it. **But** not before she tilted her body in such a way that her nightgown strap slipped over her shoulder and exposed her breast almost completely.

"Oops," she said and slid the strap up sensually and then tilted her head causing her hair to flow over her shoulder.

Nick's eyes didn't miss it. He wished his mouth didn't fall open but he knew it did and he knew she saw it. He wanted to make her cave but it was her that had him in the palm of her hand and she squeezed.

Jules turned over again and snuggled under the covers.

"Goodnight, Cowboy…sweet dreams," she told him softly.

He couldn't see the devious smile that crept across her face.

But he knew...

...she won.


	70. In the Darkness

I do not own CSI.

Rated M : WARNING SMUT

**Okay smut fans...ask and you shall receive.**

**This chapter is about the morning after Jules shoots Nick down for not coming clean about Jimmy Cole.**

**Sometimes...wanting what you can't have makes it allll worth the wait when you get it.**

**Enjoy and remember to review...I work well with positive reviews...wink wink.**

* * *

The sun hadn't come up yet when Jules opened her eyes. It was still dark in their room but when she looked over at her sleeping husband she could still see the highlights of his beautiful face and she could feel he had his arm draped completely over her stomach. She loved to feel his strong arm instinctively cover her. It made her feel safe...it made her feel loved. She was happy about that. She stared up into the darkness and thought about everything that happened yesterday. She thought about how scared she was seeing Brooke holding her daughter in her arms. She thought about how protective Nick got and how he handled things with one bare hand. He truly was an incredible man..an incredible husband... and an incredible father. She felt bad for yelling at him and at her brother. She knew they were just looking out for her.

Jules knew that was why she woke up even before the sun. She was feeling bad that she told them how mad she was when the truth was she was not as mad as she was terrified. Jimmy Cole had caused so much heartache and pain in her life...even before she met Nick. He had caused a lot of damage and to think that he wasn't done trying to hurt her made her tremble. Jules knew why Nick and Warrick didn't tell her...they were hoping she would never have to know. They were trying to protect her from the fear they knew would inevitably creep in because that's who they were...that's what they did...they both loved her and she cherished that. How could she be mad if it was one of the many things she loved most about them?

She wanted to stay in his arms a little while longer as he slept but she had to pee terribly and so she was forced to slither away from him as quietly as she could. Once she was in the bathroom she decided to brush her teeth and put her hair in a pony tail before heading back to bed. As she slipped quietly back into the bed she felt the strong arm of her husband wrap over her and pull her into him closer.

"Mmmm," he said as he nuzzled into her neck, "you smell like mint."

"I just brushed my teeth," she pulled the covers over her shoulder.

"Why? Are you planning to make a move on me?" he mumbled still with his face in her neck.

"Noooo, I went to pee and rather than have that taste in my mouth I decided to quickly brush my teeth…don't be so arrogant…not everything is about you, Texas," she said closing her eyes and enjoying the cool pillow on her cheek.

"Oooo you are so mean to me," he said smelling her hair.

"How is that mean?" she said.

"I don't know…it just is," he said smirking, "it hurts my feelings."

"Whatever," she said trying to go back to sleep knowing damn well he was full of it, "...and you're still not getting laid so give it up."

She loved playing with him. He was secretly loving it too.

"Arghh," he growled and flopped on his back throwing his arm over his face.

Jules laughed lightly.

But her laugh didn't last long. Instead, her breath grew heavier as she felt his fingertips graze the back of her thighs and creep their way up to her thong string. Her heart started to pound louder as she felt his finger trace his way from the string to the small piece of material that was barely exposed between her legs. She felt Nick roll back over on his side and his other hand took over instead to give him more access. Jules swallowed hard but didn't speak…she couldn't. His light touch was giving her the chills and making her hot. She didn't want to interrupt the feeling.

Nick could feel her soft skin under his fingertips and he loved it. He didn't mean to even start his seductive trail up her thighs but when his fingers accidentally touched her skin under the covers, they suddenly had a mind of their own. He skated his fingers all the way up the back of her thighs, up over her ass cheek and when he got to the string of her thong, he traced his fingertip down until he reached the material between her legs. He heard her softly gasp as he tickled her there.

"Do you want me to stop," he whispered in a husky voice.

They both knew her panties were already showing signs of heat.

"I said, do you want me to stop?" he repeated himself just as raspy as he did before.

When she didn't answer him he began to breath heatedly on her bare shoulder and he slid his middle finger under the lace panty. He could feel how wet and hot she was already and he grazed his lips gently back and forth over her shoulder before slowly inserting his finger inside her making her suck in a soft but deep breath.

"Do you want me to stop?" he whispered into neck.

When she still didn't answer him he slid both middle fingers inside her and moved the slowly back and forth. Feeling how wet she was made his own heart pound and his cock became rock hard. Nick pressed it up against her ass deliberately. It made her close her eyes from the excitement of it.

Jules knew, there was no denying this man.

Nick Stokes can have her anytime.

Jules moved away from his fingers and rolled over to face him.

"I don't **ever **want you to stop, Cowboy…" she smiled, "...don't stop loving me, don't stop touching me, don't stop watching me in my silky nightgown…don't ever stop anything because everything you do is amazing," she whispered only inches from his face.

"I thought you were mad at me?" he rubbed his nose against hers as he spoke.

"I am…I was…_**I can't be**_," she said before leaning in and kissing him softly.

Nick kissed her back hard but continued to caress her body. He slowly slid his hand down to her hip slowly slipping off the sexy lace thong he wanted to tear off her since last night. Jules wraps her arms around his neck and cradles his head with them as she kisses him deeply.

Jules breaks away from his kiss and stokes his hair with her fingers.

"I know you were just trying to protect me, Nick, I do…I just needed to let it all sink in…you know what I mean? I was mad…but I was really…well, I was pretty damn afraid and I didn't know what else to do but focus on you not telling me. It was either I did that or I let absolute panic take over because let me tell you something, Cowboy, I am petrified of him," she whispered with fear washing over her face. He could see it blanket her.

"I know that…I know that," he repeated.

"I do know why you did it. I know why you didn't tell me…and as mad as I was…as mad as I was... I actually love you for it. I love how you both watch over me…how you love me so much you will protect me in any way you can," she began to run her finger tips over his arms giving him the chills as she spoke.

"I'm sorry for getting mad. I am sorry for teasing you. And as crazy as this might sound…and God I HATE to admit this but...I am kinda glad I didn't know about him sooner. He scares the hell out of me, Cowboy. I just…I just wish I knew **why **he is doing this. I just wish I could **make him stop**," she said as her face looked worried.

"You can't try to figure him out, Babe, you never will get into that sick, warped mind of his…but I promise you, and I can speak for your brother on this too, we will always try to protect you…we will always try to shield you if we can. Don't you know that, Baby? I love you so much and I would never try to hurt you or lie to you," he kissed her forehead.

"I know. I know, Nick. I love you too…and I feel kinda bad for holding out on you…" she gave him a sad face.

"Naw, don't…wanna know why?" he smiled and his dimple showed.

"Why?" she smiled back.

"Because it just makes me gotta have it that much more," he said and rolls on top of her without warning.

Jules laughs at how fast he can fit their bodies so perfectly together. She can feel his muscular chest covering her gently and she lowers her hands to slide his boxers down. Nick manages to maneuver them off with ease and his knees quickly separate her thighs. He stares at her with an impish grim, knowing she didn't win her "fight" for very long. She smirks back at him as his hips move perfectly between her thighs and push upward making his hard cock find its way inside her body instantly. Nick leans in and kisses her at the same time he thrusts deep inside her. Jules can't hold back her moan and she gasps into his mouth before breaking away from his kiss.

"You have no idea how difficult it was to resist you last night, Handsome," she admits.

"Hah, yeah, I have an idea," he laughs softly as he thrusts himself inside her again and again.

Nick smiles at her as he thrusts and their eyes lock with sheer love and pleasure. He leans down and they close their eyes as they kiss intimately. But, as fast as their love making began is as quickly it changes gears. Suddenly their intimate kiss grows passionate and heated. Jules grabs the back of his head with both hands and pulls him in harder pressing his mouth tightly against hers. She cannot get enough of him.

Her hips begin to rise up to meet his...to try to get him as deep inside her as she possibly can. She needs to feel him. She needs to have him inside her. Nick can feel the heat and the lust pick up between them and he begins to slam inside her harder and harder as if to take back what he missed out on last night. Jules begins to moan louder as their sheets dance around them from their fiery movement. She finds his hands and interlocks his fingers with hers, squeezing them together hard. Nick continues battering her hard and she is more than happy to take every inch of him. He feels so wonderful and from his fast pace and raspy grunts, Jules knows Nick is experiencing the same wonderful feeling that only the two of them can create.

As loving and pure as they are, as sweet and tender as their lovemaking can be, is as hot and intense their fucking can get…and on this morning, their love was pure…their lovemaking tender and in a quick flash the began to fuck with intensity.

They knew they both needed each other so badly, and so they frantically consumed each other with wild passion underneath their soft tan colored sheets. Neither of them wanted it to end, but the heat that burned between them made it impossible for them to hold back.

"Oh God, Nicky, ohhh, you feel…oh God…I'm cumming…" Jules groaned pushing her mouth against his warm chest, trying hard keep herself as quiet as possible.

Nick's powerful climax was soon to follow as he felt her back arch and her walls clamp down on him. There was nothing he could do…or even want to do… to keep him from unleashing himself inside her. So with a few more forceful thrusts, Nick groaned into her neck and let himself go inside her.

He continued to move back and forth inside her before slowly slipping himself out of her. Jules won't let him roll over though, instead she holds him tightly, her arms around his body and his cheek next to hers. She leans her lips closer to her ear and whispers with pure desire…

"Nick Stokes…you are amazing…a-fucking-mazing."

"I can say the same about you, Darlin…" he said with his face still buried in her hair, "...and guess what?"

"Mmm hmmm," she said while breathing in the scent of his neck.

"**THAT **was worth the wait," he pulled his head up and smiled at her before throwing the covers completely over them…

….to start all over again.


	71. Smile Wide

Don't own CSI

Rated K

**Ok, got you another chapter...I hope you enjoy it.**

**It gives you a little of everyone...**

**Nick and Jules**

**A glimpse of Warrick, Catherine, and Sara as well.**

**A quick mention of Trista, and an even quicker mention of Wendy & Mandy too.  
**

**Reviews are appreciated.**

* * *

She cleared off the plates and was wiping off the kitchen table as her daughter hid underneath it. She tried hard not to laugh out loud when her daughter asked her for the tenth time if she knew where she was.

"You know where I is? I is hiiiiidiiiingg!" she would yell out and move to the other table leg as if it changed her hiding spot.

"Oh, no! I can't find you! Where'd you go?" Jules would ask while Emma giggled uncontrollably under the table.

Jules kept looking up at the clock thinking that any minute Nick would be shuffling down all groggy and bed headed. He usually got up in the late morning so it was a force of habit for her to be unconsciously waiting for him. But, she kept reminding herself, Nick was working a double today and he wouldn't be walking down those stairs any time soon.

But, she would see him soon and she couldn't wait. Not because she was desperate to see her husband every second of the day, although she did enjoy his company and the sight of him was pretty hot too, but mostly she was excited because today was the day of her OBGYN appointment and Nick was getting off a couple hours earlier than the usual double shift schedule. She was excited about that.

Jules had been lucky to get this appointment. It was thanks to a cancellation and she was sure to grab it. The sooner she had an ultrasound and an examination the better she would feel about her pregnancy. She wanted everything to be confirmed and okay. They were sure it would be, but seeing that little heartbeat on the monitor was always a feeling that couldn't be explained until it was happening. Jules smiled at the thought.

Finally, once the kitchen was cleaned up, Jules swung her head under the table and yelled, **"I FOUND YOU! There's my pretty girl!"**

Emma laughed hard and she reminded Jules so much of Nick that it made her laugh harder too.

As Jules was placing the phone in the charger on the counter before heading upstairs, it rang. She saw it was Warrick calling and it surprised her.

"Hello?" she said to him.

"Hey, Baby Girl, listen you won't believe this but…" he began.

"Oh no, no, no, Warrick please, please!" she whined, "Brett is working, Trista and Natalie took a trip to Boulder City and…"

"Why did Trista go there?" Warrick asked without thinking, "I mean why did they go to Boulder City? Just the two of them?"

"Yea, they went to Bootleg Canyon," she said quickly, "but Warrick what is going on?"

"What? Whaddya mean? Nothing…I was… I was just asking…," Warrick tried to backpedal his question.

Jules wasn't referring to Trista at all.

"YOU just said I wouldn't believe it…what? I assume you mean you can't watch Emma?" she said unaware of her brother's nervousness over Trista.

"Oh, oh, yeah…I just got subpoenaed," he began.

"Ohhh noooo, when do you have to be in for?" she asked knowing that it meant Warrick had been called back for a last minute testimony for a case.

"Well, it was either Nick or me that had to go so…I gotta get suited up and be in there in an hour…I can't take Tiny, Baby Girl, I'm sorry," he said bummed out himself.

"Aw shit," she said biting her lip with panic. "It's okay, you know what, thanks for making sure Nick could still come to my appointment. I will just take Emma with us. Nick will be there so it will be okay," she decided but hating the fact that she would be exposed with her legs in stirrups while her daughter hung around, but she didn't seem to have a choice since even Lindsay Willows wasn't around; she was a Lifeguard at the town pool.

* * *

Walking up the sidewalk toward the LVPD Jules felt her jeans digging into her. For the first time since she was pregnant with her daughter Jules actually smiled at the realization that her favorite worn out jeans were actually getting too tight. She knew that meant she was starting to get that swollen puffy stomach that now she can recognize. When she was pregnant several years ago, when she and Nick had first been dating, the two of them hadn't known that Jules was pregnant until she was into her fourth months…and while the two of them had not planned on a baby, nor even wanted one at that time, they still felt the sadness of losing him…and making it even worse was losing him at the hands of Jimmy Cole.

But, by the time she became pregnant with their daughter, Jules knew that she carried very small in the beginning and didn't show all that much until nearly her third trimester. They knew what to expect with her and so there were no surprises. This time, with the chaos and turmoil surrounding them, she hadn't noticed any changes in her body other than the much expected stress issues. So now, just from the bloated feeling that made her jeans a little too snug, she knew she could feel happy, because it meant there was a baby growing inside her.

Walking inside the Las Vegas Crime Lab holding her daughter's hand and a cardboard tray containing three coffees, she smiled wide when she saw her old friend Security Bill. They called him Security Bill because it made him feel authoritive but the truth was he was in charge of the phones and addressing visitors' needs when they came through the door.

"Hi, Billy Boy!" she said cheerfully.

"Well if it isn't my girls!" he said smiling at the sight of them. "Hi ya, Miss Emma"

"Hi, Securvity Bill!" Emma grinned.

"Coffee? Light and sweet?" Jules said handing him a cup of coffee she picked up for him.

"My God, you have been spoiling me for years and I never seem to tire of it, Jules," he told her as he took the cup from her.

"Good, because I love spoilin' ya," she laughed.

"Let me page him, Jules, because those guys have been all over the place this afternoon or so I have heard," he said before calling over the loud speaker, "The garage, the Lab, you name it…apparently there is a high profile incident that is going on," he told her loving the fact that he knew what was going on around the building.

"Nick Stokes, please go to the Break Room, Nick Stokes you are needed in the Break Room," he announced. "Now at least you'll know where to meet up with him.

"Thanks, Bill, you're always thinking," she grinned and the white haired man.

Emma waved goodbye.

Jules knew the older man just loved to feel needed because she could have easily just called Nick on his cell phone.

* * *

Stepping off the elevator and into the Crime Lab hallway she held Emma's hand tightly to ensure her daughter wouldn't bolt away from her in search of her father. Emma was familiar with the Lab and with the people who worked there. Sometimes, she felt a little too confident and wanted to go off on her own.

Nick was coming around the corner and spotted them immediately.

"Hey," he said to Jules kissing her softly on the lips hello.

He quickly scooped Emma up in his arms, making sure she was on the hip that didn't hold his gun.

The two of them smiled at each other.

"Hi, Daddy," she greeted her father.

"How's my Munchkin today?" he asked.

"I is good," she held on to his neck as they walked into the break room all together.

It wasn't long before Sarah and Catherine sneaked off from their work and visited the break room too. They knew Jules was coming with Nick's daughter and they couldn't help but want to steal her away.

"Well, if it isn't Miniature Nicky," Catherine said as she knelt down to Emma's lever.

"I is not minichaw Nicky, Cafrine, I is Emma Stokes!" she told her.

Sara swooped in and grabbed her up.

"Hi, kiddo, I'm so happy to see you today!" she said giving her a big hug.

"I is goin' to the doctaw's wif my mommy," she informed Sara, "…my daddy is comin' too!"

"Nick? How long will you be?" Catherine asked.

"I gotta slip away, Cath," he looked at her concerned.

"No, no, I get it, I just think you should leave Em with us…you can't take her to the doctors for something like this!" she explained.

"I know, Cath, but Warrick was called back to testify in the Baylor case," he reminder her.

"Leave her, leave her with us... Nicky you have to come back here anyway afterward," she told her.

Jules head spun over to Nick.

"You do?" she said knowing he was supposed to have off.

"High profile case, Darlin'. Gotta stay," he grimaced.

Jules gave him a sad face but she wasn't shocked...it wouldn't be the first time Nick's job called him away unexpectedly.

Jules looked back at Sara and Catherine.

"Really, you don't mind keeping her? I would so love that...having my legs in stirrups with my daughter roaming around is a horrible thought" she winced and the women chuckled at the thought too.

And so, with the two CSI's grabbing up an excited Emma, they walked off to bring her to see Wendy and Mandy in the lab.

* * *

They both smiled at each other when the elevator door opened and they stepped inside the hallway toward the OBGYN office. Jules squeezed Nick's hand and together they walked through the door and up to the receptionist who smiled, took their insurance card and, handed them a clipboard.

Jules and Nick waited in the waiting room silently, both too nervous and excited to have a conversation. Seated across from Nick she watched him leaf through a magazine and smiled inwardly. There had never been a time that she knew of that she didn't salivate when she saw him dressed as a CSI. He never took off his vest or his gun holster and it just made him look incredibly sexy. She actually felt lucky that this gorgeous CSI sitting across from her was her husband…was the father of her babies.

She scanned him...she looked at the badge embroidered on his vest...she looked at the name STOKES in white on the other side. She loved it. She let her eyes roam upward to his face...she was snagged yet again because once her eyes made it up to his face, he was looking at her with a cocky grin.

Nick shook his head at her and chuckled under his breath.

He mouthed to her from his seat... _"I see you checking me out!"_

Jules winced and shrugged; she mouthed back... "Sorry!"

The two of them laughed under their breaths.

It wasn't long before their name was called and Nick tossed the magazine on the chair and together they walked inside.

* * *

As the examination went on, Dr. Lehman smiled wide.

Dr. Lehman had delivered Emma and he was one of the nicest guys Nick and Jules knew. They had a great rapport with him and Jules trusted him and treated him in high regard.

"What's that smile for, Doc?" Nick asked squinting his eyes and tilting his head slightly unsure.

"Well, I am happy to tell you that it looks like you are about three and half months along, and progressing wonderfully, I might add," he continued to smile wide.

"Yeah? That's good…so the heartbeat? It's strong? Is that why you are smiling?" she asked finding it strange.

"Well yes, very good...strong as can be, I'm happy to say but, no, that's not exactly why I am smiling," he chuckled.

Nick and Jules looked at each other perplexed.

Dr. Lehman pushed the monitor to give Nick and Jules a clearer view of the screen.

"See the pulsating dot right there?" he pointed.

"Which one?" Nick asked.

Jules eyes grew wide.

"Oh. My. God." she knew as soon as she saw the two beating white dots.

Jules looked over at Nick He looked back her as she held up two fingers.

He jerked his head back slightly, raised his eyebrows and his chocolate colored eyes widened at her. His mouth fell open a bit and it soon moved on to a smile. A bright smile.

Dr. Lehman's smile grew wider too. He knew the Stokes and he knew they wouldn't be the least bit upset about having two babies at once.

So, as he traced the babies outlines with his finger he nodded to them both.

**"Congratulations…you two got yourselves a set of TWINS!"**


	72. Seriously?

I do not own CSI.

Rated T - for language otherwise K.

**Well, well, well...looks like I surprised ALL of you...**

**You weren't expecting that? **

**Good. I'm glad.**

**Thank you for taking the time to review. I appreciate it!**

**In this chapter Nick and Jules are right out of the Dr.'s office and sitting with the news of having two babies at once.**

**They also tell Warrick about it, too.**

**How will he react? Read on...**

* * *

He stayed in the room with her as she got herself dressed quickly... although they didn't say a word to each other. They walked out of the OBGYN office hand and hand and still no words were spoken. Nick opened the passenger's side door for her and she hopped inside and she couldn't even manage to get a "thank you" out as he closed the door and went around the to the other side.

Both of them were dumbfounded.

Nick started his engine but didn't put his truck in reverse. He kept it in park and stared straight ahead.

Jules stared the same way.

Finally, Jules looked over at Nick and Nick looked over at Jules and at the very same time they said the very same thing.

"**TWO**?" they said in unison.

They both squished up their face as if to say "_what the fuck_?"

"Nick, seriously? Twins? No, seriously…did I hear that right? Sseeeerriouslllly?" she repeated herself with disbelief.

"I heard it. I heard the same thing…so yes…seriously. We are having twins," he said and then started to laugh.

Then, he laughed harder. He suddenly became completely overjoyed.

Jules didn't laugh back.. She stared out into nothingness.

"How can I be having **TWINS**?" she said already knowing it was a silly question.

"How? Well, there's a one in two hundred fifty chance **if **they're identical…**and **fraternal twins are one out…" he said but Jules cut him off.

"**I KNOW**…that was a rhetorical question," she smirked.

Nick reached his hand over and touched her shoulder.

"It's gonna be all right, Darlin'…you're just scared…I can see it," he soothed her with his soft, southern, voice.

Jules looked into his eyes and she stared into them a minute before she began.

"Scared? No…no, I'm not scared, Texas, …I am absolutely, fall on the ground, out of my mind, _**petrified**_…HOW will I handle **TWO **babies at once?" she looked at him with pleading eyes. "I, I, I've got my hands full with Emma and she is an ANGEL…now _**two**_ more? I can't even believe this….oh my God…" she put her hands over her face and then looked back over at him. "I am so happy **and **so freakin' scared I don't know whether to run around in circles or curl up in a ball!" she bit her lip and her brow furrowed.

"Hey, hey, I know you're afraid but that's just because it was such a shock, Honey, trust me…you will be great. You will do fine…and hey, you can always call my mom…she did it with Lynn and Laurie AND she had my older two brothers too! Not to mention the others that followed…especially the best of them all…**ME**… at the end," he grinned.

He was trying to joke with her to lighten her worries.

"I don't know how the woman did it, Nicky, _**MY GOD **_**TWINS**!" she screamed the last three words into her hands.

Suddenly she too started to laugh.

And, without warning, Jules leaned over grabbed his face in both her hands and kissed him with deep emotions.

Finally coming up for air, Jules smiled wide and with tears filling her eyes she whispered to him.

"I am having _**your babies**_, Cowboy…I am having two more of **YOUR **babies," she smiled and her heart swelled with emotion.

Jules couldn't think of anything more amazing in her life.

Suddenly the shock began to wear off and the fear of it began to fade. And just as shocked and afraid as she was only minutes ago was just how excited and thrilled as she suddenly became.

Nick smiled at her with his 'Nick Stokes' smile and looked directly into her eyes.

"NOW…we gotta wait to see **what they are**…got any names yet, Sunshine?" he laughed and kissed her again.

* * *

Driving along Charleston Boulevard, heading back to the Crime Lab, Jules called Warrick but he was unable to answer since he was in court. She shot him a text.

_Ultrasound = Gr8_

_Babies look fine._

_Call me_

Nick hadn't even pulled into the parking lot of the LVPD when Warrick called back.

Jules immediately put him on speaker so that Nick could share the news too.

Without even saying hello to her he shot right to the question that was making him crazy for ten minutes before he could get out of the courtroom.

"**WAS THAT A TYPO, BABY GIRL?' **he asked frantically.

"Whatever do you mean, Big Brother?" she teased.

"You wrote **BABIES**…as in **PLURAL**," he said sounding out of breath.

"_**NOT **_**a typo, Boss**," Nick yelled out, "**I am the **_**MAN**_**…TWO IN ONE SHOT…how do ya like THAT!"** he said proudly.

Jules rolled her eyes and laughed at him.

"Dayummm, Nick! You got **two **mini Stokes in one oven? Shiiit….I'm getting' the hell outta Vegas, man!" the two men laughed loudly before adding, "…better you than me!" causing them to laugh even more.

"Oh shuttt uppp both of you!" Jules laughed.

"My God, when are the shorties due?" Warrick asked smiling wide.

"We're looking at the end of December," she told him.

Nick yelled over, "I'm hoping for a tax break times two!"

Warrick laughed loudly…"Good luck with that!" he said before pausing, "Wow, this is great news, Baby Girl…Nick, man, congratulations," he said thrilled.

* * *

Their smiles remained even after they hung up with Warrick.

And, before they got out of Nick's truck, they looked at each other again and laughed.

"Two?" she said.

"Two," he replied.

"TWO?" she cocked her head and squinted.

"Two," he closed his eyes as he nodded exaggeratedly slow.

"Okay, well then, Stokes, then I think we are in some serious trouble now…" she said grimacing.

"Yeah? Why's that?" he furrowed his brow confused.

"Looks like you and I…we're gonna be out numbered," she laughed.

Nick shook his head back and forth and rubbed his hand down his face.

"Ya know something', you're right…

…we're screwed."


	73. This is Too Hard

I do not own CSI

Rated T - adult theme.

**My last chapter was a little short so I am tossing you out another one...**

**Just some fun, fluffy banter between Nick and Jules.**

**FLUFF, FLUFF, FLUFF**

**I hope it is fun for ya ;o)**

**(*I know the Riley reference doesn't add up time wise...it was just a silly little wink to those paying attention.)  
**

* * *

Sitting side by side, propped up by pillows against the headboard and covered by the crisp clean sheets, Jules flipped the page of her baby name book before turning her head and looking over at Nick.

He could feel her looking at him and so he looked back at her and smiled.

"What are you thinking' over there?" he asked.

"About your mom and dad…," she grinned, "Your parents went through the roof tonight, huh!" she chuckled as she turned the page.

"Ya think?" he laughed sarcastically.

They both softly laughed.

"Okay, okay, I think I got it," she bit her lip excitedly suddenly changing the subject, "I found two more girls names **IF **they are girls."

"Yeah? What did you find this time because you can just forget about naming them the last two girls' names…I'm sorry, Sunshine, I like the name Reece for a girl but it reminds me of the candy wrappers I find all over the place when you're PMSing…I just can't do it…it's your FAVORITE **CANDY **for God's sakes, Jules…" he looked at her and squashed up his face, "And Riley…yeah, no…I used to work with a Riley awhile back and I found her quite annoying. Pretty name…bad association.," he explained.

"Okay then, how about…Avery?" she asked unsure.

"Nice…but nah, keep going," he nodded.

"Okay, I like these two… I think it matches with Emma's well," she said and sat up a little straighter, " how about Abby and Alexa?" she squinted her eyes and raised her eyebrow.

"Hmmm, I am liking that actually, they're both very pretty," he paused, "but we aren't having two more girls so go through the boy pages now," he smirked.

"What's the matter, handsome? Afraid of a house full of chicks?" she laughed.

"No, I would love my girls…I just know they're boys," he nodded assuredly.

"Well, it could be one of each…ya never know," she added.

"Yep, true, so now look through the boys' names," he nudged her.

Jules continued to flip and flip the pages. A few minutes of page flipping went by and Nick looked over at her again.

"Anything?" he said putting his book down and raised his eyebrows curiously.

"Nicholas?" she said.

"Yyyesss, Dear?" he answered dragging out the word.

"No, no, Nicholas?" she replied.

"What? Why are you…**OHHH**, no, no, I don't want a Nicholas…my mom and dad still call me that and did you see how I just answered you? No, nope…I don't need the confusion," he shook his head no.

"We can call him Nicky!" she smiled.

"Nope, I still get called that too," he continued to shake his head.

"Okay, **this is too hard**…" she grumbled.

"Mmmm," he said tossing his book on the nightstand and nuzzling up to her, "**Never **too hard, baby," he growled.

"Oooh, now that's true, Texas…that isss true" she laughed and stuck her hand under the covers.

Fishing around under the sheets she moved her hand to the place she was looking for and sure enough… it was rock hard.

"Now **THIS **is hard," she said raising her eyebrow.

"How hard?" he asked her seductively as he climbed over her pressing it against her.

"Very, very, hard," she whispered staring up at him.

"Maybe it's too hard to handle?" his voice husky and deep as he whispered and propped himself up over her by his forearms.

"Maybe…I'm not sure…maaayyybeee I need to check it out, _**just **_to be sure," she whispered closer in his ear.

Nick began to move his hips and grind into her roughly.

Jules could feel how hard it was right through his sweatpants.

She tried to hold back her smirk, "Now, I don't know, I could be wrong…can you take your sweats off and grind into me like that again? You know….so I can get a better feel and be sure?" she said but couldn't hold back anymore…

…she laughed hard in his face.

"_**Oh C'monnnn, Darlin'**_…we had sexy talk goin' here!" he complained in his southern drawl and rolled his eyes.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry…okay, okay, say it again…" she said trying to straighten up her smile.

"_**No, you ruined it**_!" he said pretending to be mad and flipping himself off of her.

"No, really, I won't laugh this time, come back over here," she said pulling his arm after he rolled off.

"No…it's too late…you ruined the moment," he said also trying not to laugh.

Jules put her hands behind her head, looked up at the ceiling, and breathed the air loudly out of her lungs.

Nick did the same.

Finally, when no words were spoken after a long minute, Jules whispered up at the ceiling.

"This is too hard."

Nick chuckled softly…he knew where she was going with this…right back to the beginning….

"**Never **too hard, baby," he said back up to the ceiling.

"Oooh, now **THAT'S **true, Texas…that issss true," she grinned as she repeated what she had said only minutes ago.

She moved one hand out from under her head and down under the covers. Her hand began fishing around again.

"Now **THIS **is hard," she said.

"How hard?" Nick whispered again and rolled on top of her once more.

And Nick and Jules began what they started only minutes ago all over again.

Except this time…Jules didn't laugh…she soon breathed heavy and moaned loudly instead.


	74. Senseless

I do not own CSI.

Rated T for mildly foul language.

**This is not a one of my better chapters but it moves along. **

**There is a reason behind it.**

**Because it is more on the lame side...**

**I will follow with another chapter quickly so no rotten tomatoes at me, okay?**

**I still would like a review...**

**I would really like to know your thoughts on chapters like these...are they as bad as I think they are? **

**Insight, please!**

* * *

They hadn't talked much about the Brooke and Cole trauma that infiltrated their life just weeks earlier; they believed it was best to let it go and put it behind them. Nick had agreed with Jules when she told him that they couldn't let it eat at them, dominate their conversations or pollute their thoughts.

So it especially surprised him when she suddenly began to bring it and want to talk about it. He was adamant though that it was over and there was no reason to rehash it...just as she had reminded him.

And, because of that, whenever she did bring it up, he shot her questions down instantly.

"But, Nick, I am not saying we need to have a huge conversation about this…I just want to know one thing…about Cole….is he done with me now? What would make him hang on to me like this? **I just don't understand!** I wish I could just understand it," she would plead for answers no one could give her.

"Honey, first of all that is **NOT **just one question and secondly, I told you before…you will never know what goes through his fucked up, warped, mind so don't bother…WHY are you giving him that kind of power?" he would fire back.

One evening in particular, as the two of them sat at the kitchen table playing a game of cards before Nick went in to work, Jules slowly slipped her thoughts into the conversation much to Nick's disapproval.

"Why do we have to talk about this, Babe?" he grumbled and tossed out a card.

"Because I just wish I could understand what the hell he was thinking…I thought he was done with me. Why can't he leave me alone? Why won't he leave _**US **_alone?" she tried to make sense of the senseless.

"**JULES**! First of all you are dealing with a sociopath…not someone you can make sense of. **YOU KNOW THIS, Honey**!" he desperately tried to get through to her.

"I'm sorry, Nicky, I just don't get it," she shook her head and flipped a card over.

"Enough, Babe, I don't want to think about him, okay?" Nick told her.

Jules stayed quiet for a few minutes and then mumbled something that floored Nick.

"What the fuck is so great about **ME **that would make someone want to hang on so tightly at any cost?…it just makes no sense," she kept her head down as she said it.

"What? What did you say?" he tossed his cards face down in a pile on the table. "How could you even sit here, across the table from **me, ME of all people, and ask me that? **How can you ask such a question?" he shook his head, "**WHY **in God's name would you put **YOURSELF **down?" he said irritated. "I'm done…I don't want to play this anymore and I gotta get to work anyway," he said and stood up abruptly.

"Nick, I just was…Come on, Babe…" she said nervously.

She didn't mean to make him mad.

"Naw, it's fine, Darlin'…I'm not mad at you…I just can't stand the son of a bitch and I will not sit here and try to figure his sorry ass out. And I _**definitely **_won't sit here and listen to you wonder what's so great about you…as if you are unworthy or something…He is trash… is not worthy of **YOU**, got it?" he said walking around the counter and putting his glass in the sink.

"Yes, I got it," she said sadly.

"Now kiss me goodbye and tell me you love me because I gotta go to work," Nick leaned in and kissed her softly, "Just stop, please. You told me weeks ago to not let it eat at me…to let it go because my hurt is your hurt too…You told me that..._**Well take your own advise, Sunshine. Don't be a hypocrite,**_" he gave her the "knowing look", "You can't have it both ways."

"Can't argue with ya...You're right, you're right," she said realizing how hypocritical she sounded.

She was ashamed of herself, but the nagging, persistent and desperate need to know why Jimmy Cole did what he did still hounded her. She wished it didn't but suddenly, out of nowhere, he clouded her thoughts.

"Honey, you know what I think?" he said leaning over the back of her chair and wrapping his arms around her, "…I think this is your hormones talking…I know you…you are not one to dwell on this kind of poison. You are hormonal, Babe, BUT I still have to tell you like it is…I have to put a stop to this way of thinking. It is not good for you, for the babies, or for God sake's **ME**!" he laughed that he included himself in it.

Jules leaned her head back and stared upside down at him.

"I love you, Cowboy…completely, madly, crazy love you..." she smiled softly.

"Then kiss me again and walk me to the door so I can go look over dead bodies and gruesome crimes," he laughed and kissed her.

"Call me if you can, Handsome," she said getting up and following him out.

"Will do, Sunshine, and remember…keep those negative thoughts out of your mind and know _**it's just your hormones talking**_, kay?"

Nick kissed her forehead and closed the front door.

Only seconds passed when she heard him test it to make sure it was locked.

**"Just checkin**'" he yelled from the other side.

"**Of course! You always do**!" she laughed back and walked upstairs.


	75. Should Have Known Better

I don't own CSI.

Rated T/M for language

**WOW! Talk about giving you a LONG chapter! The LONGEST chapter yet!  
**

**I told you I would make up for the last one. :o)  
**

**I hope it will make you do the happy dance...but more importantly I hope you like the chapter!**

**I won't know though unless you tell me.**

**Oh boy, Nick is NOT happy. You haven't seen Nicky when he is PISSED OFF at Jules...**

**Well, you will in this chapter. **

**He loves Jules madly but no relationship goes without a fight now and then. **

**And Jules realllly made him FURIOUS.**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

She didn't like it when Nick and Warrick had to work doubles but she didn't mind it as much when they both worked them together because that meant they both had the whole next day off at the same time. She was hoping she could have a BBQ tomorrow afternoon. She decided she would call Nick and ask him what he thought. She wouldn't do it unless he liked the idea. It would be fun and she wanted him to have some relaxation after everything that happened a few weeks ago. She ruined the last time he worked a double and had the next day off. This time, she wanted Nick to have some drinks, hang out with friends, and just enjoy the day without any chaos. She felt like she had to make it up to him for pissing him off so bad last week.

Nick had been so mad at her he would not speak to her for hours after he was finished yelling. She couldn't remember seeing him that angry at her before, but she knew it was because she scared the shit out of him.

She thought back to the day that the post card arrived.

She had been making lunch for herself, Emma, and Trista who was on her way. She had left the front door open for Trista and she looked up from the counter when she heard her walk in.

"Hey, Trist," she greeted her as she walked into the kitchen, "You're just in time," she said as she washed her hands.

"Here's your mail," Trista said tossing it on the counter.

"Thanks, can you throw it on the desk for me?" she motioned with her head to the kitchen desk as she brought a bowl of salad to the table.

"Who's Mark?" Trista asked confused.

"I don't know…who?" she asked back.

"I don't know, you tell me…this is from a guy named Mark…Mark Overby," she repeated.

"Isn't he a poet? Or a writer or something, no? I don't know…Why do you ask?" Jules said equally confused.

"He sent you a postcard…about **love**?" Trista laughed, "Oh Boy, now **YOU'RE **cheating on **NICK**," she chuckled at her own joke knowing that would never happen…she knew damn well that Jules would ever cheat on Nick.

Jules walked over to where Trista was standing and snatched the postcard.

She stared at it a minute. The picture on the front was of the Las Vegas Pier. Jules knew it well. She and Nick used to walk it a lot when they first dated and they still do when they go out alone together.

Jules looked closer at the picture of the pier and saw a red ink splotch in the center. Suddenly she felt a little sick remembering the picture that Cole sent to her hospital room of her and Nick on the pier with their faces scribbled out in red. It suddenly made her afraid.

She flipped the postcard over.

"Jules? What is it?" Trista asked.

The postcard Jules was holding was a simple postcard that would not have meant much to most people but Jules knew as soon as she saw the picture and read the back, not only what it meant, but who it was from.

_**Love is much like a wild rose, **_

_**beautiful and calm, **_

_**but willing to draw blood in its defense. **_

_**Mark Overby**_

"Oh, God…" she whispered.

"Is it a love note from Nick? God that man is too fricken good…I have decided **I hate him**," she grumbled jokingly and went over to the table to pick out a tomato from the salad.

"I gotta go…Can you stay with her?" she asked grabbing her purse off the desk and stuffing the postcard inside it.

"Uh, yeah, but…I don't understand, Jules…why? What's the matter?" she said loudly as she followed Jules to the front door.

"I can't… I just **have **to do this…I **need **to talk to him," she said fast as she scurried to her car.

"To who? Nick?" Trista yelled out.

"Yeah, yeah, I will explain as soon as I come back…Do you care how long I'm gone?" she yelled from her car.

"No…I still have a car seat…I'll take her out with me to Brett's in a little while…when she gets up….but Jules…call me, okay? I want to know why his quote bothers you!" she yelled as she watched Jules pull quickly out of the driveway.

* * *

Jules brought another laundry basket and continued to fold the new load. As she did her thoughts went back to that split second decision that would ultimately enrage Nick. She remembered how her palms were sweating as she drove. She wasn't even sure what made her think she could make him explain himself…explain why he was doing this to her…looking back, she would have done things differently.

Jules blew the air from her lungs as she remembered…

She heard Nick come in the front door and call her name but she didn't go to him because she was making meatballs and her hands were a mess. She heard him come into the kitchen and was about to turn toward him expecting to get a kiss "hello" but was startled when he came up next to her and slammed his hand down on the counter.

"**WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?**!" he yelled furiously and frowned with anger. His Texas accent came out even more when he was angry.

"Um," she didn't know what to say.

She knew immediately why he was mad. She just didn't know he would find out before she had a chance to tell him…to explain herself. It had not gone well, or as she had hoped, so she wasn't even sure she wanted to tell him. Now, she didn't even have to tell him at all…he already knew.

"**Um? Um? UM NOTHING! YOU WENT TO SEE HIM? YOU TALKED TO THAT SON OF A BITCH? YOU WENT THERE!" **he rattled off questions like a madman.

Jules remained silent. She began washing her hands and leaving the rest of the ground beef in the bowl.

"**WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING, JULES? WHAT!" **he screamed.

"Nick…I…give me…" she stuttered in defense.

"**NO! NO! THEN…THEN I TRY TO CALL YOU AND YOU DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE?" **he yelled at her.

"I had to turn it off at the jail and I forgot to turn it back on…I'm sorry, Nick, I just…," she explained but was cut off from his wrath.

"**YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THERE…AND IT ISN'T A JAIL…IT'S A FUCKING PRISON! MY WIFE GOES TO A PRISON TO TALK TO THE MAN WHO MADE OUR LIVES HELL? AND I HAVE TO HEAR ABOUT IT FROM OFFICER YOUNG?" **he slammed his hand down again loudly rattling the decorative jars.

Nick was furious.

She could see the fury dripping off of him and she noticed there was not one "Darlin'" or "Sunshine" attached to his sentences.

"**AND WHY DIDN'T YOU ANSWER THE HOUSE PHONE, JULES?" **he asked annoyed.

"I just walked in, Nick!" she said drying her hands on a kitchen towel.

"**WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?**" he yelled while looking around.

"With Trista…relax, my God!" she said walking to the refrigerator to put away the eggs.

"**RELAX? JULES, I AM SO MAD AT YOU RIGHT NOW I COULD SCREAM!" **he yelled following her to the fridge.

"You _**are **_screaming," she said with her head inside the refrigerator.

"**JULES, I SWEAR TO GOD, I AM NOT JOKING**!" he stormed out of the kitchen and then walked back in again.

Nick didn't know which way to go.

He was so mad he went in circles.

* * *

Nick leaned back in his chair, stretched his back and arms and yawned loudly. He was sitting in the break room at the Crime Lab alone and just about to call Jules when he thought about last week and how mad he had gotten at her. He did feel bad for yelling at her like that, but she really did scare him _**for hours **_before he could even get a hold of her. In fact, it still pissed him off when he thought of it.

He remembered back at how he heard about it first from Officer Young. He remembered how his stomach dropped when he told him.

"Hey Nick, I was just looking for you, man," Young said walking next to Nick down the hallway.

"Yea? Why's that, Young? What's up?" he said looking up from his file.

"Well, I would wanna know if my wife was…uh, where she doesn't belong," he said wincing.

"Excuse me?" Nick closed his folder and stopped in his tracks.

"Well, I was just down at the joint and I saw your wife going in…" he began.

"You sure it was **MY **wife?" he said frowning.

"Yea, yep, I am pretty sure it was, man," he answered.

"**WHO** did she go to see?" he said with his jaw clenched thinking he already knew the answer.

"I don't know I just saw her go in…and I thought you should know," he told him.

"Thanks a lot, Young, I appreciate it. I owe ya one," Nick said and turned to walk the other way.

Grabbing his phone from his hip he called Jules. Nick's fury grew stronger when she didn't answer. He waited fifteen minutes in the break room with a cup of coffee and a clenched fist. He called her again and still there was no answer. Nick began to worry. He was scared of what she might do…who she was visiting…why… and all the stress involved. Nick was very worried and it made him angry that he couldn't even get in touch with her.

With anger, he threw his mug in the sink and left it there.

He went to Brass's office.

"**JIM?" **he said loudly.

"Nick…I already know," he said rubbing his forehead.

"**WHO! **Who did she go see? Brooke or Cole?" he said and slammed himself into the chair in front of Brass's desk.

"The log showed she signed in as a visitor for James Cole," he said staring back at Nick.

"**FUCK…SON OF A BITCH**," he stood up and kicked the chair. **"She doesn't belong there, Jim!"** he yelled.

"I know…I agree…I just got wind of it," he told him, "Tom Sobel called me a few minutes ago and told me about it. He thought I should know…we're all looking out for you two, Nick, don't worry, okay? She will be fine."

"**NO, NO, This is bullshit, Jim! She is pregnant for God's sake!" **he said pacing, "**She knows better!"**

Jim took a deep breath and picked up the phone.

"I will call there and have her removed, Nick…I will get her out of there now, okay? Calm down, I'm sure she has a reason…she is tough," he reminded him.

"No, she **thinks **she has a reason…she **can't** get answers from a narcissistic sociopath and **she doesn't see that!" **he shook his head, "I can't get a hold of her, Jim, what if she is upset? What if Cole hurts her?" he said as panic streamed through his veins.

Nick continued to call his wife for another couple hours. He paced the floors and he even shot home to see if she was there. When she wasn't the panic grew fierce.

Nick shook his head at the memory. It made him mad just thinking about it. He had been so scared.

* * *

Jules continued folding Nick's T-shirts and putting them in the laundry basket. She looked over at Emma who was happily playing with play-doh at the kitchen table.

Jules let her thoughts continue to roll back to that day.

She could still hear the clanking sound of the steel doors closing behind her. She could still see him coming closer in his orange jumpsuit and cuffs. The sight of him made her heart race and her palms sweat. He still made her physically sick.

"Well, well, well, what did I do to deserve this visit, Love?" Cole asked her with a sinister tone.

"I came here because _**I need to know**_...When will you stop, Jimmy? _**Why won't you stop?**_" she asked pleading with him for answers.

"Is _**that **_what you came here for?" he smirked. "Or did you get my postcard and just need to see me again?" he gave her a kiss in the air that made her skin crawl.

"Yea, I got it, Jimmy…and I hated it…Look, I just need you to stop this obsession already, Cole. _**It has to stop**_. **WHY **won't you just **STOP**?" she pleaded for an answer.

"Why? That's easy my Wild Rose…Because **YOU said 'Forever'**, remember?" he reminded her.

"But, it's over. Our forever…it ended many years ago," she told him.

"And you think you are smart? Don't you know, you idiot, **FOREVER **doesn't end…"he shook his head, "...yeah, college education did you well," he mocked.

"**OUR **forever did, Cole. It's done. **Just stop**! Stop with the cryptic postcards, stop with the scheming with people to hurt me, **JUST STOP!**" she demanded.

Jimmy Cole laughed. He laughed hard. Then harder still.

"As if YOU could EVER tell ME what to do?" he laughed a little quieter now. "

How's CSI Douche Bag?" he said smirking. "Has he been fucking any college babes lately?"

Jules looked up and glared at him.

"Oh now, Love, come onnnn, don't give me that look!" he chuckled.

"Yeah, that was cute, Cole…real cute…did you think that up all on your own? Did you sit in your cell and wonder if I cried when I saw him in those pictures with Brooke?" she grit her teeth.

"Pretty much," he laughed, "I wondered when you would figure out **I** was involved…you know how I was the King of Roofies in college, remember? Dumb fuck sucked back a roofie and never knew what hit him…fucking pussy," he shook his head laughing.

"Fuck you, Jimmy," she rolled her eyes.

"Ohhh, you're right, you're right, he can't help it if deep down he wants to fuck other women…he is a man after all, right? Oh wait…no…NO, he isn't! He's a fuckin' piece of shit that makes less money than his idiot wife!" he snarled.

Jules continued her glare.

"**Look at _YOURSELF_, Jimmy, **you still tell me I am stupid…you always said I was nothing but dumped garbage…you told me I wasn't worthy of anything and even my own mother didn't want me! You hated everything about me, Cole, **EVERYTHING** I did was wrong. So tell me, why do you care if I moved on? Why do you care that you lost me? Why can't you just look at it as a good thing?"

"Because you are what you are today because of **ME**! I made **YOU**! And I don't lose on my investments…and let's face it, Love, I invested a lot of time into cleaning you up!" he leaned closer to her and growled.

"You are wrong, Cole…**YOU **were the one who **FAILED out of college**…you were the one who told me I would never make much out of myself so not to even try…I got my degrees, Jimmy, I became the youngest chemist to lecture…the youngest to hold the positions I have had…I was the one who became top in my field…So tell me, Cole, who is the loser now?" she leaned in and told him with hatred.

"Are you back to work yet?" he ignored her insult, "Still making the big bucks? Supporting your loser husband still? I hear you bought that big, fancy, house…with **YOUR **money I'm sure, I know damn well he isn't up to paying for that," he laughed.

"You are so wrong, Cole…he did own a house too ya know…_**we sold TWO…mine AND HIS**_!" she snapped back at him.

Jules had become defensive of Nick…she defended him unnecessarily before cringing knowing she just told Cole far too much information.

"Two? As in you…**You sold that rental you owned in Jersey**?" he began to get angry and it showed.

"Yep, and it's none of your business," she smirked aggravating him more.

"**YOU BITCH! I told you not to!**" he growled. "How about the shore house? Did you? You didn't sell that, did you?"

"You have nothing to do with my investments…nothing to do with my income…nothing to do with my home…Jimmy, you have nothing to do with **MY LIFE! **So don't ask me what I sell, what I buy, what I do…you don't get to know what Nick and I do!"

Cole stared at her and turned red in the face. He thought about reaching over with his cuffed hands and slapping her. She knew he didn't want her to sell any properties without his consent. She knew he wanted that shore house for when they would be together. He stared holes into her.

Jules stared back with hatred.

"Whatever, Cole…you're so pathetic," she laughed. "Still thinking about money, huh? So pathetic," she shook her head and rolled her eyes.

Cole looked over at the guard and swallowed back his anger. He wondered if he should just haul off and punch her in the face…he was weighing the pros and cons. He decided to keep the conversation going.

"How's your daughter? Emma is it?" he smiled changing the subject, "Nice name…Emma. I hear she is a pretty little thing too…what is she three now? Not quite right?" he rattled on.

Jules felt her heart race. He knew too much about her and her daughter and it was frightening her. She thought she could handle this. Now she wasn't too sure why she even came, but she continued.

"Don't worry about my life, Cole…not me, not my husband, not my kids," she said instantly knowing she made the mistake.

"Kids?" he stared.

"I said **KID**," she said quickly.

"No, you said kids…**plural**…You have **another **baby with CSI Scumbag , Love?" he growled.

"Fuck off, Jimmy," she said feeling her blood pressure go up.

Cole slammed his fists on the table.

"**You bitch**!" he snapped, "**he knocked you up again, didn't he!"**

The guard stepped forward but Jimmy backed away.

"I just want you to stop, Jimmy, I want you to stop hurting me…leave me alone…**please**. I have a family now, Cole…**PLEASE**….Can't you just stop it?" she begged him.

"Is that reallllly why you came here? To **beg me** to stop?" he smirked.

"**YES**. Is that what you need? Then I will beg you, Cole. I am begging you. Please, I am sorry for everything…you were right…it was me…I'm sorry," she pleaded.

"Like I actually think you believe that? Please. No, you and I…forever…simple, really. But, if you really want me to stop…show it to me in your kiss that it was your fault and not mine," he said leaning closer. "Kiss me. Right now. Right here," he said softly.

Jules couldn't bear it. She thought she could handle this. She thought maybe, just maybe she could make him see she needed him to stop. It was stupid. She should've known better. The visit was doing nothing but scaring her and upsetting her greatly. She thought about the babies she was carrying… she knew then, she needed to leave. She needed to just stop trying to get this insane man to understand.

She realized at that moment that he would never go back to the Jimmy she knew. The Jimmy Cole she once cared about was long gone.

"I need you to stop, Cole…let that decent kid I fell in love with in High School shine through just for a second!" she begged.

"You want to talk about _**DECENT**_? What would **YOU **know about being decent? _**YOU **_**FUCKING SHOT ME**!" he ground his teeth and patted his shoulder. "You still never paid for THAT! You act all hurt because you were made to think your precious CSI was fucking someone else…big deal! Big fuckin' deal! I got a bullet stuck in my fuckin' shoulder with _**YOUR **_name on it!"

Jules stood up. She placed her palms on the table and leaned forward.

"You should be happy that I am short, Jimmy…because I was aiming for your **HEAD**!" she spat back.

Cole grew angrier.

Jules continued.

"Cole, you said we'd be together forever… until death, remember?" she whispered.

"Yep, that's right, Love," he feigned a smile.

"Well Cole…our forever ended… That 'YOU AND ME' you speak of…_**IT'S DEAD**_," she growled at him with hatred in her voice. "**YOU, JIMMY, ARE DEAD TO ME**," she said, "I am glad my mother is also dead…and I hope one day **SOON **you will join her in Hell…but until then Cole, even if you keep breathing… **YOU are STILL dead **too!"

Jimmy Cole's head snapped up and he laughed before he stared at her.

"Dead? You think…**YOU DUMB, STUPID, BITCH**!…" he slammed his hands down on the table and then lunged for her.

He wanted to grab her face and tell her something but he didn't have the chance. The guard moved in and told Jimmy that he was done. He broke the rules… he got to close and too angry.

"Say hello to my mother in Hell, you Loser! And leave us alone and just die already!" Jules said firmly as she walked to the door and was escorted out by the guard.

She wondered for a moment what Jimmy was about to tell her but she knew it didn't matter. He was a worthless scumbag that had nothing but horrible things to say. She wished she hadn't wasted that hour with him. She was sorry she ever thought she could make him understand.

"Mommy?"

The tiny voice brought her back to her kitchen.

"Yes, Emmy?" she replied.

"You like dis? It pretty, right?" she asked holding up a round, multicolored, ball she made out of play-doh.

"Oh that is cool, Em! You mixed the colors!" she smiled and continued folding.

* * *

Nick finished his coffee and stared at his phone and before he could call his wife he continued his thoughts.

His mind wandered back.

"**WHY DID YOU NEED TO SEE HIM, JULES**?' Nick demanded.

"Because Nick, I just needed him to know he had to just stop this…he needed to know that…" she tried to explain her actions but Nick wouldn't hear of it.

"**YOU CAN'T! YOU CAN'T GET THROUGH TO SOCIOPATHS! HE IS A FUCKING NARCISSIST! YOU KNOW THAT! WHAT THE HELL IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?" **he yelled.

"I'm sorry! I know it was stupid," she looked down at her feet and leaned against the counter.

"**STUPID? NO, IT WAS MORE THAN STUPID! IT WAS FUCKING IDIOTIC!**" he was yelling so loud it surprised her. He never got angry like this.

"You really don't have to yell at me, Nick, I said I was sorry and I know I was wrong," she said still looking down.

"**WHAT DID HE SAY TO YOU? WHAT DID HE SAY?" **he demanded trying hard not to show that he was very afraid Cole revealed to her his and Warrick's secret.

"Exactly what you would expect him to say…" she sighed thinking about how rotten he spoke to her.

"**I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HE TOLD YOU!" **he said panicked.

"He talked typical Cole. He told me he made me what I am today and he won't give up on his investment…blah, blah, blah" she said making light of it hoping it wouldn't send Nick on a rampage against Cole. "But…he also said…that Brooke gave you a Roofie in your drink…THAT is how she got you in that room, Nick!"

"**WHO CARES HOW? IT'S OVER!" **he shook his head uninterested in that fact, **"WHAT DID YOU SAY TO HIM? TELL ME THIS CONVERSATION! I WANNA HEAR IT!" **he insisted.

"I asked him to leave us alone…I told him he was dead to me," she admitted.

"**YEAH, LIKE HE GIVES A FUCKING SHIT ABOUT WHAT **_**YOU **_**WANT!" **he shook his head with disgust.

Nick now was sure Cole never told her about Jolene and he felt relieved about that but…he still couldn't shake the after affects of the fear he had… The fear that she was hurt or she needed him. He was still shaking from how bad she scared him.

"You're right," she admitted.

Nick walked to the refrigerator, gripped the handle, but as he was about to open it, he stopped and turned around.

"**ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS**!" he yelled directly toward her, "**WHAT IF HE GRABBED YOU? I KNOW THERE ARE GUARDS, JULES, I KNOW THAT, BUT IT TAKES ONE SPLIT SECOND AND HE CAN GRAB YOUR THROAT. HE MIGHT NOT KILL YOU BUT HE WOULD ROUGH YOU UP ENOUGH…AND YOU ARE PREGNANT, JULES! PREGNANT! DO YOU REALIZE YOU PUT THE BABIES IN DANGER TODAY!"** he frowned at her.

Nick was not only furious because he specifically told her to stop with the senseless questions of why Jimmy Cole did what he did. Not only because he made it clear that it was just her hormones and he did not want that poison clogging her mind. And not only because he told her time and time again to stop it and she still didn't listen. True, those things did enraged him but they were not the real reasons he went ballistic on her.

What had made him the craziest was how he was absolutely sick with fear when he couldn't get a hold of her. When he couldn't find her he was so afraid she was bleeding somewhere, alone, and needing help. Or crumpled in a ball crying over what she heard from Cole. All Nick could think of was why else would she not be at home or answering the phone. His fears had made him insane and upset him far worse then his fury.

It hurt Jules to hear that she put their precious babies at risk…and she knew she couldn't defend herself.

"You're right," she said again this time choking up.

Jules couldn't argue with him because she knew she was wrong in so many ways. She didn't mean for it to be that way but it certainly was the way it turned out. It seemed like a good idea at the time… when she saw that postcard she just allowed her emotions to get the best of her...she saw the error now though.

She never meant to scare Nick. She never meant to forget to put her cell phone back on once she left the prison. She went to the grocery store after her visit with Cole and it took her awhile…the time it took her shopping was time Nick spent pacing floors, stopping home, and worrying himself sick.

Nick could see his yelling was upsetting her now. He knew he had said enough but he was just so mad. He had been so worried and it scared him so bad to think Cole could hurt her with his hands or his words. He couldn't stand to see him hurt her anymore. Nick was scared to death that it would be Jimmy Cole who would tell her that her mother was alive and that he and Warrick know about it. He didn't know how she would take it and he was petrified she was not okay.

"_**I know I am fucking right, Babe**_!" he lowered his voice but the anger remained.

Nick realized he was still clenching his keys and instead of hanging them on the hook as he always does, he threw them hard on the counter. Jules watched them slide along the granite and fall off the other side of the counter onto the tile floor below.

"Jules, I never tell you what to do…**never**…but I am telling you…right now, **I am telling you,** "he pointed his finger directly at her and as she looked into his eyes she saw the fear she had caused, "**YOU **_**are to NEVER go see him again**_…**do you hear me**?" he threatened.

Normally she would fight back at anyone who told her what to do and made demands but this was Nick and she knew how scared she made him. She knew he was right. She did put her herself in harms way and there was no excuse for that especially since she is pregnant. She never thought about Cole being able to grab her but he was right, it could have happened. He was right all the way around.

Jules looked up at him.

"Okay… I hear you," she nodded and went toward him.

Before she could hug him, he turned from her. He slammed his wallet on the desk and stormed up the stairs.

She could hear him at the top step.

"**I'M GOING TO TAKE A FUCKIN' SHOWER!" **

Then… there was silence.

…And it lasted for hours.


	76. Deafening Silence

I do not own CSI.

Rated T or M for language and themes.

**Thank you for the reviews! I so appreciated them!**

**U haven't seen Nick so mad that he yells like that, huh? **

**It happens... Especially when he gets terrified about his family.**

**The last we saw Nick he stormed up to take a shower and Jules hasn't heard a word from him since.**

**Let's just see how this all plays out, shall we?**

**Read on... (and review too please)**

* * *

The meatballs had long been made and left on the stove. Nick never came back down for dinner. In fact, he stayed upstairs in his office without speaking to her. She peeked in on him once and he was working on some files and crime scene photos. She asked him if he wanted to come down and eat but he just told her he lost his appetite hours ago. He never looked up when he answered her and she knew he was still pissed.

Jules couldn't even remember when Nick was this mad at her. It was a very rare occurrence, but when it happened…she knew he needed time to be alone to blow off steam. Nick's way of blowing off steam was usually to work…to put his anger toward uncovering crimes. So, Jules decided that if he wanted to eat he would come down and get it when he wanted.

When Trista had come back with Emma that evening she looked around and asked where Nick was.

"Ugh, don't ask," Jules said shamefully before telling her the whole story.

Trista raised her eyebrows and her eyes grew wide.

"Oh, oh, ohhhh man, if Nick gets like **THAT**? With **YOU**? Ooooh" she said making a swishing sound after she said it.

"Yep, I know...I know…I am laying low now that's for sure," she grimaced.

"Well, I guess I don't need to tell you he is right, right?" Trista smirked.

"Nope…Believe me...I know," she nodded.

"I mean, don't get me wrong…I know how you are and I also know I would be the same way, but since it's **NOT me **being in your shoes, it's easy for me to say '_**what the heck were you thinking'**_ which is probably what **YOU **would have said to **ME**," she nodded.

Jules laughed lightly…"Yep, that sounds about right," she said putting a plate of ziti and meatballs in front of Trista and a plate of cut up meatballs in front of Emma.

"Is them hot?" Emma asked oblivious to the conversation around her.

Trista leaned over, stuck her fork in a chunk of Emma's meatball and put it to her lip. When she found it to be warm she smiled at her and held it over to her mouth.

"No, Goldilocks, it is just right," she and Emma chuckled and Emma opened her mouth to take the bite.

"So, I guess I shouldn't call him down to eat, huh?" she asked just in case she was wrong about leaving him alone.

"I wouldn't," Trista mumbled with a mouth full of food.

"Yeah, I was just checking," Jules said sadly, "I feel really bad about it. And the worst part is he was right…Cole didn't care about what I had to say," she said.

"Shocker," Trista said sarcastically.

"I know…what was I thinking? I just hoped that maybe…I don't know," she said disgusted with herself. "And Nick doesn't even know he wanted to k-i-s-s me," Jules spelled out the word kiss so Emma wouldn't hear and repeat it.

"Oh my God, don't even breathe it into the air. You made me nervous!" Trista complained. "I know you know but come on, Jules…the babie….what if…aw, forget it…I know you already know," she put another bite into her mouth.

"Thank you. I do. I know," Jules said sadly again.

"Well, he will get over it…you know he will. You just scared the s-h-i-t out of him," Trista spelled out the bad word and put another bite into her mouth.

Suddenly the front door opened and Warrick came inside.

**"What idiot left the door unlocked?**" he said as he strolled into the kitchen.

Trista choked on her food and coughed loudly. Jules jumped up and hit her on the back.

"You is okay? Is you chokin'?" Emma asked startled.

Trista cleared her throat several times and took a long drink before she could tell her niece that she was fine.

Jules got up and went to get her brother some food.

"First of all, **Trista did it!**" she laughed, "Secondly, do you want to eat?" she said making a plate for him without his answer.

"Oh, oh, I'm sorry, Trist, I was just kidding, I thought it was Baby Girl," he stuttered and Jules looked over at him in shock.

"**Sweet Mother of GOD! Did you just apologize to Trista?**" she asked in shock.

Trista looked at Warrick with horror. She decided to cover up his error.

"Yea, Loser, you can keep your phony apologies. Nice try in front of your sister, dumb ass," she said.

Warrick stared at her. He didn't want to go along with it. He didn't want to bicker with her anymore. In fact, he wanted to sit and eat dinner with her. He wanted to just sit and talk to her and maybe even take her to a movie or to the bar. He stared at her until she sparred with him again.

"Hey Jackass, are you just gonna stand there or are you gonna sit down?" she said getting up from the table with her dish in her hand.

Jules put a plate of food in front of Warrick.

"Just stop it, Nasty Girl," Jules said to her best friend laughing.

"You is not nice to Uncle Wick and yaw sayin' bad wawds," Emma smirked because she was actually used to the two of them arguing. She had lived with it since birth.

"You tell her, Tiny," Warrick smiled at his niece.

"I did," Emma grinned back.

"Where is Nick?" Warrick looked over at Jules.

"Upstairs," she answered looking down.

"Figured," he said shoving food in his mouth.

"Why did you figure that?" she asked.

"Because he ain't speaking to you…I figured he wouldn't after that stunt you pulled this morning," he said nodding, "I ain't sayin' nothing to you because I am sure you heard it all from him," he told her.

"Oh my God, does everybody have to know my business? My God, the LVPD needs to mind their business and stop watching me!" she grumbled.

Trista dumped the remaining little bit of food into the garbage.

"I, um, I am gonna head out," she said.

"**WHY**?" Jules said wiping her mouth with a napkin, "**Don't go**!"

"Yeah, well, I got things to do, and um," she refused to make eye contact with Warrick.

"Oh come on, Trist, stay with me and hang out…come on, I am in the doghouse…stay in it with me, _**please**_!" she begged.

"Yaw in the dawg house, Mommy? We no have a dawg," Emma tilted her head and squinted just like her father.

"Oh, it's just a saying, Honey," she laughed.

"All right, all right, I will stay," Trista said reluctantly and went into the den and clicked on the TV.

"Ok, Munchkin, time for your bath and then to bed," she said to Emma, "You had a long day with Aunt Trista!"

"Leave the plates, I will clean it up once the jackass gets out of my way," Trista yelled from the couch.

Jules rolled her eyes.

"Miss Emma…come give Ann Testa kiss!" she said.

Emma had called Trista "Ann Testa." since she could speak. They all cracked up about it. For the longest time no one could figure out who Ann Testa was that Emma kept talking about until one day she pointed to Trista. They knew then that Ann T. was Aunt Trista. The name stuck.

Emma scurried off and kissed Trista good night which included a great big hug that Trista loved.

"Come on, Munchkin," Jules called for her and she and Emma went upstairs to get ready for bed.

Emma turned around and ran back to Warrick.

"Night, Uncle Wisk...I love you," she said and kissed him hard.

"Arghhhh," Warrick groaned as he hugged her tightly, " I love you too, Tiny...Sweet dreams!"

Once Jules and Emma left and went upstairs... The silence they left behind was deafening.

* * *

Warrick got up from the table, wiped his mouth and threw the napkin on the table. He walked into the den and sat on the arm of the couch and stared at her.

"What the hell are you looking at?" she said squishing up her face at him.

"You," he answered.

"Why?" she shot back.

"Why do you have to be like this?" he asked.

"Like what? I am **always **like this," she said looking away and at the TV.

"Why do you have to be? Why won't you answer my calls?" he said softly.

"I never had a chance…did you want something?" she said still looking at the television.

"Trista, come on…seriously?" he said getting annoyed.

"What did you want?" she asked still looking at the TV.

"Trist, can you look at me?" he said.

"What? I'm watching this," she said staring at a commercial.

Warrick got up and grabbed the clicker. He turned off the television and threw the remote over on the chair across the room. He sat on the coffee table across from her.

"I thought maybe, I thought you and I could maybe go out some time," he asked her staring at her.

"Who? You and me?" she chuckled, "No, I don't think so, Rick, sorry," she answered.

"**WHY**?" he asked shocked.

Trista shrugged. "I don't know, just uh, I don't know…no reason, I guess I am just not interested," she told him, "I'm sorry...but really, Warrick, nothing has changed. It's all good."

"Trista! NOTHING changed? You and me... we had a crazy good time together the other night…why are you not interested?" he said with his ego wounded.

"You're funny, Rick," she laughed at him.

"Funny? Why?" he frowned.

"Because one night of good sex doesn't mean a fricken thing! It was fun…get over it…I am," she laughed and dismissed him, "Now, can you get me the clicker?"

Warrick stood up stunned. He was about to turn to get the remote but he turned back to her, leaned down, grabbed her face with both hands and kissed her.

Trista felt his lips on hers and she had wanted to feel them again for days.

She kissed him back and their tongues moved passionately. Their breathing became heavy and they melted into the back of the couch...her hands found their way to his sides.

But suddenly Trista grabbed his hands and tore them off her face, pushing him off her.

"Get a hold of yourself, homeboy!" she said.

Warrick just stared at her dumbfounded.

Their kiss was hot.

There was a definite fire between them but she was not going to let it happen.

"Look, Warrick, you and I have known each other for years. I like you. I mean, you and I fight…it's what we do because deep down we do like each other…AS FRIENDS...because we've always been friends under our fighting, we both know that, but…that's it…we're just friends, nothing more, okay?" she rambled and stood up.

Warrick's mouth fell open.

"Um, okay, just tell Jules I just remembered I had something I needed to do…tell her I will call her later," she said and grabbed her purse off the chair.

"NO! No wait, Trist!" he said following her through the hall and to the front door.

Putting his hand on the door before she could open it, Warrick stared at her.

"Are you saying you don't want to see where this could go?" he said stunned.

"Pretty much, Homes," she chuckled. "I told you…we're **friends**. We had a great time **ONE **night…_**get over it**_," she said and pushed his arm to move him aside.

Trista left. She closed the door behind her.

Warrick stood in a state of disbelief staring at the closed front door.

"Not used to that ego bash, huh, Chief?" Nick chuckled midway down the stairs.

Warrick looked up.

He was snagged.

He knew Nick had caught him red handed.

"Nick, I, uh, I guess you heard that?" he said sheepishly.

"Uh, pretty much, Homes," he said repeating the same line Trista had just given Warrick.

Nick tried to hide his smirk but failed.

Warrick took a deep breath and let it out loudly.

He rubbed his palm over his face.

"Aw, ffffuck," he grumbled, "Just…just tell Jules I will call her tomorrow... tell her thanks for dinner."

And without a second to spare, Warrick left.


	77. Never Again

I do not own CSI

Rated M for language and suggestive content.

**Trista felt the pressure rising simply by being in the same room with Warrick **

**So she bolted...she left...she ran away.**

**As she drove away as fast as she could...**

**she thought...and thought...and she remembered...**

**her past...**

* * *

As she sped down the street she could feel the lump in her throat tightening and it made her mad. She turned up the radio but it didn't drown out the voices in her head. So she slammed the radio off angrily.

"**Fuck you, Warrick Brown**!" Trista yelled inside her empty car.

_**"You won't get to me, asshole!"**_

**"I know how you guys operate…you only want me because you think I am good in bed and the challenge is there. Nah, you ain't getting me to fall for you, Brown…I know your type! You can keep your amazing kiss…don't look at me with those green eyes…leave me the fuck alone, Warrick, because I won't allow myself to fall for you…no matter how much I want to!" **she continued screaming at the air.

Trista hated to admit it but she wanted to cry.

The way she left Jules' house suddenly was a survival technique.

She felt something for him and she wasn't going to let that show. She would squash anything she felt for him and never let it out. She was furious with herself for even looking at him that way. She was furious that he even continued to scope her out. She knew she had to get away from him. She knew that his kiss made her melt and she would be damned if she let Warrick know that.

Trista thought about the wounded look in Warrick's eyes when she laughed at him and told him to get over it and she wasn't interested.

She didn't care.

No. Absolutely not.

She knew what she had to do. She needed to shut him down fast.

Trista knew it was the only language men understood.

She had no doubt so she ran him off.

Before she witnessed the love that Nick and Jules shared she swore it didn't exist. But, as she always told Jules, they were truly the exception. They were rare. Couples like that were extinct.

She was no fool…lightening doesn't strike twice and Jules was the lucky one so Trista knew she could forget about finding her lightning bolt…it wasn't gonna happen.

She knew it. She accepted it.

She knew how men operated. She knew how even her own father was a liar and a cheat. She knew how he screwed around on her mother. She knew how he fucked anything in a skirt. She had loved her father more than anything but he chose skirts over his family and he walked away. He left her shattered.

The one man she thought was different wasn't different at all. He was a liar and a cheat too…he just hid it better. He asked her to marry him and all the while he was banging the chick from his office. Had she not walked in on them she might have walked down the aisle with him.

Trista shuddered from the pain of even remembering it.

She had truly loved Danny Sutton with all her heart. When he asked her to marry him she thought her fairytale had begun. She wasn't one to fall easily. She was nobody's fool…but Danny changed all that. He taught her how to trust…how to love…how to give away her heart…

Only to lie…cheat…and tear her heart to pieces.

She remembered the way Danny looked at her when she walked into the office. He had his secretary bent over his desk and his pants around his ankles as he slammed himself into the whore. She remembered holding onto the doorknob so tight it snapped off. She remembered seeing her hand bleeding from the slice it gave her when it snapped. She remembered throwing it at him with such force it made a lump on his forehead instantly.

She remembered it all…running from the office. Him yelling for her to wait. She remembered the parking garage…how it smelled, the way the wind blew her tear streaked face. Danny begged. He told her it was only that one time but it wasn't.

She knew it wasn't.

She began to search through his things and she found more and more evidence of his infidelity. She knew she had to leave. She packed her bags but she had no place to go. Her mother died seven years ago. Her father left them flat years before that. She sat on her suitcases in the middle of her apartment that she shared with Danny and she cried.

She had nowhere to go.

But she was wrong. She had called Jules on the way home from the office horror and told her what had happened. She told her she had to leave Danny and her heart hurt to much to breath. She told Jules she would call her later…she just couldn't talk right now.

But Jules didn't wait for her call. Jules showed up at her door with her brother and they took out Trista's stuff and they got her out of her apartment that very day.

Trista remembered the look on Warrick's face when he saw her sob on Jules' shoulder. She remembered how he carried every single thing she owned out of that apartment and packed it neatly in his truck. Trista remembered how bad he felt for. She remembered the genuine sadness they felt for her.

Danny called her repeatedly but she never looked back. She knew there was no such thing as true love. She knew she was wasting her time hoping for anything that even resembled Nick and Jules. In fact, when she saw the pictures of Nick with Brooke, before she knew they were staged, she wasn't shocked completely. Part of her knew it was only a matter of time before even the best fell. She was glad Nick turned out to be the exception. She was really happy for Jules…she deserved nothing but the best…Trista truly felt that way. But she also felt that she would not be foolish to think that she too would find that kind of loyalty and love.

It didn't matter, she thought. She was fine just doing what she did. It was safer that way. She didn't need anyone. She didn't have to worry about getting hurt. She hooked up with guys when she wanted to and threw them aside when she was through.

Trista's thoughts went back to Warrick. Tears began to well in her eyes. Not just from the memory of Danny but from the knowledge that Jules and Warrick loved her like family. Sure, she and Warrick fought...but it was their thing. It was just the way they were. But, when the chips were down, Warrick would always come to her aid if she needed him.

She smiled softly and wiped her tear with her wrist as she sat at a red light. She remembered when she called Jules drunk as a skunk from a bar because the cab that she had called never showed up. But Jules was home alone with Emma who was just a tiny infant. Nick was at work and Jules couldn't come get her. So Jules called Warrick and woke him out of a sound sleep, scaring the hell out of him. But, although he bickered with her all the way home, the fact was he got out of his bed at 3:00 in the morning and came and got her. He brought her home and he made sure she got inside safely.

He was a good man and Trista always knew it...she just never thought him in that way...at least she never used to.

_"But who are you kidding, Warrick? You know damn well you like the Honeys...You don't know how to stay in one place...in one bed. No, I have known you for too long, Brown. You are incapable of anything resembling a relationship! Don't tell me you want to see where this could go, Asshole! Because there is ONLY ONE PLACE where this could go and that is down the toilet...shot to hell...No way, Homeboy...you ain't doing that to me!" _she screamed at no one but herself.

The fact was, Trista was not prepared for what she felt for Warrick. It hit her like a ton of bricks out of left field. But, although she may feel a lot of surprising emotions for Warrick she would never let him know. She would never admit it to even her best friend. She would run far away before she ever hooked up with Warrick another time because she knew that as soon as she connected with him again it would make her feel things she never wanted to feel again.

Warrick was doing something to her heart and she recognized it. He suddenly awoke something inside her heart that she had long forgotten about. A feeling she never wanted to allow to come into her life again.

She had to be cold.

She had to walk away.

She had to hurt him…

…before he hurt her first.


	78. Hiding Heavy Hearts

I do not own CSI.

Rated M - sexual innuendos & language.

**Warrick left Jules and Nick's house abruptly too.**

**Here are his thoughts as he drove away.**

**What did he do once he left? Where did he go?**

**How does HE handle rejection?**

**Read on and review...**

* * *

He drove down the street toward his home but he wasn't sure he even wanted to go home. He thought about going to the bar and getting a buzz on but he wasn't sure he even wanted to do that. What he really wanted to do was follow Trista home. He wanted to knock on her door and make her understand that he didn't take this lightly. That while it was true he has always liked to play the field he wouldn't do that to her. If he was willing to see where this went, it really did mean he took it seriously.

He has known Trista for years because she and Jules have been very close since their junior year in high school; she is the closest thing that Jules has to a sister. He would never jeopardize the relationship that Jules has with Trista or the one **he **has with Trista.

Warrick has always treated her as family…He even fights with her as if she was family. He has cared about her long before he felt the feelings he feels for her now. He loved her as Jules' best friend… So there was absolutely no way he would take any of this lightly…He just knows when he sees something that could turn into much more…and he was thinking **this **could very well be it.

The fact was he **never intended for this**. He never even saw it coming. Never in a million years did he expect it. In fact, if someone would have told him this a month ago he would have laughed in their face and shook his head adamantly. "_Not a chance_," he would say. And yet, here he was, driving down East Charleston wondering if he should take his chances and go talk to Trista.

But, he knew Trista. She was a tough one. If she tells you to leave her alone she means it. She has just as much fire in her as his sister. He wondered if she might haul off and let him have it if he ever just showed up on her doorstep. He could handle her fury…he just didn't want to put them in a bad position and make things worse. After all, he wanted to date her, not drive her away.

Warrick thought back to some of the funny things that went on with him and Trista in the past. He and Trista had always had good laughs together. They never failed to fire one another up or have a fun conversation - even if it meant they were sparring. She could come up with the best one liners, not that he would ever admit that to her. He chuckled knowing how she loved to get him all disgusted by bringing up Nick and Jules. She would purposely wait for Nick and Jules to walk out of the room, lean over close to him and whisper, 'Bet they just went to go fuck." It freaked him out every time.

As Warrick sat at the red light he thought about her more and laughed out loud remembering.

"_Hey Warrick, I have a question_?" she would ask sweetly.

"_OH God, what do you want_?" he would say with attitude.

"_Oh, I was just wondering if Nick banged your sister so hard and so many times it made two babies at once?"_

"_I swear to God, I cannot stomach you!" _he would yell.

"_I'm just sayin, maybe he bent her over the dresser or something? You know, to really get it to…"_

"_**SHUT YOUR MOUTH, TRISTA! You want me to vomit? I swear I cannot stand you!" **_he would yell making her cackle like a hyena.

Warrick smiled.

He remembered at Easter how when she was clearing the table off…

"Damn woman, I am glad to see you know your place! Don't forget to scrape my plate before you take it to the sink," he teased her purposely to piss her off.

"Hey, Warrick?" she said standing with a plate in her hand.

"Yea?" he'd smirk.

"How about you go get yourself a can of **Shut the Fuck up**?" she spat back at him.

"Baby Girl," he'd yell, "…you see how she talks to your brother!" he would complain to his sister just to annoy her more.

Warrick took a deep breath.

Now, thinking of her and seeing her in a different light, made him want to enjoy her company more. Enjoy her one liners, enjoy their childish teasing, enjoy their conversation and even if they didn't fall back into bed he still wanted to hang with her.

He slammed his hand down on the steering wheel.

"_**What the fuck has happened to you, man? My God you sound like NICK? Uck! Snap the hell out of it, man!" **_he yelled out into the empty car.

Warrick swallowed hard and decided to call Greg.

"Hey Sanders, wanna go Murphy's tonight? I thought we could use a night out to hunt the Honeys... Whaddya say?" he asked.

"Nah man, I gotta go into work! You and Nick have off tonight…you know that means the rest of us are working!" he complained.

"Aw, yeah, sorry, man…don't mean to rub that in…" he laughed.

"Next time…and find me a lady if you can," he laughed back.

"Yep, will do," Warrick said with no intention of doing so.

"_Fuck…you cannot stay home all night thinking about that broad. I mean, come on, she told you to back off…she told you flat out she wasn't interested…get over it man…you don't need that shit," _he growled out loud.

And so, Warrick pulled into the parking lot of Murphy's Bar and Grill and, even though he wasn't dressed as he normally would, he went inside to find himself some cold beer and a Honey to take his mind off Trista.

Unfortunately for Warrick though, as he looked around at all the ladies, he couldn't care less about any of them. None of them seemed to compare with Trista's body. None of them had that cute laugh that Trista had. And none of them had those dark eyes and sweet lips…

Warrick downed his drink that he ordered and put his head back on the wall where he stood.

"Hey there, Warrrrick," he heard a sweet voice say.

Looking over at the pretty girl coming up to him, he smiled.

"Hey, Marissa, how are you Baby," he said leaning in and kissing her hello.

"Not bad, Warrick, not bad…You never called me back the last time we were together. You said you would call me," she frowned.

"Yeah, yeah, about that…would you believe I put your number in my pocket for safe keeping and then washed the damn pants?" he lied.

"Oh really! Is that why? God, I thought you blew me off!" the bimbo smiled.

"Oh no, no, Honey, never! In fact, I am glad to see you…I thought I would never find you again," he said placing his hands on her waist. "Let me buy you a drink, Baby," he said leading her over to the bar.

Warrick bought her a few drinks and then, when he knew he had enough to drink and felt relaxed enough to forget about Trista, he asked her to go back to his house.

She gladly agreed.

As he turned to walk out with her, Marissa smiled at him. Warrick felt sick. He had to be honest.

"Marissa, look, I'm sorry, Honey, but…I lied to you…I just, I am not looking for anything right now…I just need to lay low for a while…sort things out…I'm sorry," he admitted.

The voice inside his head began screaming**…"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND, MAN? THIS HONEY IS ALLLL YOURS TONIGHT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"**

The tall, leggy, blonde hung on his shoulder and leaned close to his ear.

"Do you think I care, Warrick? All I want to do is fuck your brains out tonight," she whispered and then winked at him.

"I just…I don't want to give you the wrong idea…I mean, you are like a nice girl and I…" he said but she cut him off.

"I'm _**not **_as nice as you think…In fact, CSI Brown, I am naughty and I hope you will take me back to your place and investigate me…or whatever it is you CSIs do," she ran her finger down his jaw.

Warrick laughed and threw some money on the bar.

* * *

As Warrick and Marissa walked out the front door together and made it to the sidewalk, Warrick saw her only a few feet away.

The beautiful, petite, girl he had wanted to see most walked in their direction.

His heart sunk so hard he thought everyone heard it fall.

It was Trista. And she was walking toward them.

She was looking in her purse, getting her ID ready, as she walked. When she looked up she stopped dead in her tracks.

She didn't want to…he could tell it was a knee jerk reaction. He knew, because he did the same thing.

He swallowed hard and he saw her suck in a huge breath of air. Warrick wasn't sure how long they stared at each other like deer in headlights but it felt like an eternity.

Finally, Marissa, giggled. "Are we going to get your car or are you just going to stand here?" she tugged his arm leaned in and whispered in his ear, "You've got my panties wet and I'm getting a chill from the wind blowing up my skirt.

Warrick didn't answer her. He started to walk away from her and toward Trista.

But, he watched as if in slow motion, Trista gave him a look of disgust and turned around. She put her fingers to her mouth and whistled to the valet who was just about to take off in her car. He stopped and opened her passenger window.

"Yes? Everything okay?" he asked.

"No, no," Trista said as Warrick watched, "I changed my mind…I am leaving."

The valet got out of the small sports car and handed her the keys. She walked around to the driver's side and got in.

Warrick tore over to the car door that hadn't closed yet. He stood inside of it so she couldn't close it on him.

"Trista, wait…" he said squatting down to look at her.

"Hey Warrick, what's up?" she tried hard to pretend it didn't sting to see him with that gorgeous blonde.

"Don't leave…just wait…I…." he didn't know what he was trying to say.

"What? Oh, no, no, it's cool," she waved her hand at him, "I just remembered…I um, I forgot my license….I have no ID," she lied.

"Can we go somewhere? Can we talk?" he asked her.

"Warrick, you have someone waiting for you over there…don't be stupid! Go back to your Honey! It's totally cool!" she laughed with a hidden heavy heart.

"I am not letting you close this door, Trista, not until you let me talk to you," he said hoping she didn't push him away.

"And your Honey? You will leave her standing there? Not very nice of you, Warrick!" she shook her head.

"I don't care…she isn't…look I need to talk to **YOU**," he pleaded like a guy he never wanted to be.

"Okay, okay, get in," she said knowing she didn't want to talk to him at all. Knowing her heart hurt and it made her mad since she didn't want it to. Knowing there was a lump in her throat from seeing him with the blonde and it might make her voice crack. None of that was okay with Trista. None of it was fair to Warrick since she had no intention of being with him ever again. She just needed to get out of there as fast as she could to deal with her emotions alone…on her own.

So, she told him to get in in order to get away. Trista knew Warrick all too well. She knew if she told him to move he wouldn't. She knew that the only way to get him to move out of the way of her car door would be to push him and she didn't want to cause a scene. So, she did what she knew would work. She told him to get in.

Warrick walked around the back of the car toward the passenger's side but before he could reach the handle, Trista peeled out and left him standing at the curb.

"_You little, Spitfire!_" he said to himself. "_She got me! She freakin' fooled my ass…that sneaky little thing,_" he said with his heart pounding in his chest.

As he stood and watched her taillights fade, he knew he was admiring her even more.

He was wanting her even more.

Finding her sexy as hell…

…even more than he already did.


	79. Steamed

I do not own CSI

Rated K

**Ok readers, I will chalk it up to the holiday weekend that would make only ONE person review.**

**And just so you know, I posted more than one chapter over this holiday weekend...which is harder than just leaving a review! **

**Grrrr. I am frowning at you! I really do need positive reviews fast!**

**Not sure if this chapters is lame but here it is anyway. **

**Nick is still pissed. Jules feels terrible about it.  
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It didn't take all that long to have her daughter bathed and asleep. Emma had had a long day and it took it's toll on the little girl she was asleep in no time. Since Jules was already upstairs, she decided to go into her room and get ready for bed. Putting on pale blue nightshirt, and a pair of socks, Jules quickly threw her hair up in a ponytail.

Before she went down the stairs, she walked to the office and stood in front of the closed door. She wanted to knock or peek inside but she knew she needed to stay away from him. So, instead she turned around and headed downstairs to hang with her best friend and brother. As she got closer to the bottom of the stairs, she immediately noticed the quiet…. There was no bickering. There was no arguing. There was simply silence….and she wasn't sure why.

Walking into the kitchen she was surprised to find the dishes still on the table. She was even more surprised to find BOTH Trista and Warrick gone.

"_What the hell?" _she mumbled. "_That sucks…she ditched me_," she whispered to herself.

She had hoped at least Trista would keep her company.

As Jules cleaned up the dishes quickly she noticed the cap to a beer bottle on the counter and she knew then that Nick had been downstairs. It meant he had left the confines of the office while he knew she was bathing Emma. She turned and looked into the pot and saw that he had gotten some food too. She was happy that he ate. She just was sad that he wouldn't eat with her.

Once the kitchen was cleaned up, Jules made herself a cup of decaf tea, sat down at the table and looked out into nothing. She could hear only her thoughts and the hum of the dishwasher. She thought about the mess she made and how angry she made Nick.

_"Man, oh, man, he was rrrrealllly mad," _she thought silently_. "I'm really sorry, Cowboy," _she whispered taking a sip of her tea.

Jules sat like that for a while… just thinking.

She had just about finished her tea when she heard him walking around upstairs. She hoped he was coming downstairs.

He didn't.

Finally, Jules got up, threw her used teabag in the garbage and put the cup in the sink before heading upstairs to face the unknown. She wasn't sure how he would react now that so many hours had passed.

Once she was at the top of the stairs, Jules looked toward the office. She wasn't sure if he was back in there. She walked over and peeked in. All she saw was his desk strewn with an array of scattered pictures showing gruesome crime scenes, a few folders, and some Sharpie markers. It wasn't like Nick to leave everything in disarray like that so she knew…he was still not happy.

Jules left the office and peeked in on Emma. She smiled at her daughter who was sound asleep and sucking her thumb. She noticed her woobie had fallen to the floor. Jules picked it up, placed it back by her head and kissed her softly.

Her next stop was the room she was nervous to enter…her own.

Opening the door slowly she saw him sitting up, shirtless, propped up by pillows and reading a Forensic Magazine. He peered over it at her and then back at the magazine again.

Jules walked into the master bathroom and, without saying a word to him, she washed her face, brushed her teeth and stared at her reflection in the mirror.

"_Good luck, Baby Girl,_" she mouthed to her reflection.

Walking back out of the bathroom and to her side of the bed she crawled in sheepishly.

Nick still did not even acknowledge her.

Jules thought about saying something but instead grabbed her Biochemistry Journal and began reading it. In reality, she _**was ****pretending **_to read it. She couldn't actually read it…her mind was racing about Nick and she was feeling really terrible. It was starting to eat away at her now; even worse than before. Knowing how he couldn't even stand the sight of her, and was still wasn't speaking to her, even after so many hours had passed, chipped away at her slowly.

Jules put her magazine down on her lap and looked over at Nick. He was reading. He wouldn't look over. She stared. He read. She stared more. He read. She knew he was aware she was looking at him. He usually turned and would smile when she watched him, but he didn't tonight.

Finally, she broke the silence.

"I really am sorry, Nick," she whispered.

"I know," he said flatly without looking over.

"I left you alone to give you time to cool off…but, you still won't look at me even NOW?" she said sadly.

"I'm reading," he said with no inflection in his voice at all.

"How long will you be mad at me?" she asked sadly, "I can't take back what I did, Nick."

"No, you're right, you _**can't**_ take it back," he said quietly but with an attitude.

"I _**wish I could**_, but I can't and I really am sorry, Nicky," she whispered.

Nick didn't mean to be so cold to her. He knew she was sorry but he was still mad and he couldn't help it. After all, she put herself in danger. She put their babies in danger. She did what he specifically asked her **not **to. And so, while it was true that hours had passed, Nick **still **felt the fear and the anger she caused him and he wasn't going to pretend he didn't.

And so, without looking at her he just gave her a cold answer. "I know. You said that already."

Jules didn't know what else she could say. So she simply continued to stare at him. He simply continued to read.

When she began to feel the tears of hurt and regret, she fought hard to not show them. Jules could easily show sorrow and regret, but she always found it hard to allow herself to show weakness with tears. She had been like that since childhood...But having Nick **that **mad at her...hurt bad. It was extremely rare that he would ever get this angry with her which made it hurt even more.

Finally, when Nick still refused to look at her, she swallowed hard, and slipped calmly out of bed. She walked into the bathroom, closed and locked the door, turned on the shower and got in. She didn't want him to hear her crying...she knew the shower would hide her tears.

Jules stayed in there for a little while. She let the steam engulf the shower, leaned against the tiled wall and let the tears fall...she continued to whisper "_I'm so sorry_" as she quietly cried.

While it was true she was hormonal, she knew she wasn't crying because she was feeling sorry for herself. She was crying because she was feeling truly sorry. Sorry she did what she did. Sorry for taking a chance with her babies and feeling terribly guilty about it. She hated herself for thinking she could get answers from Cole even after Nick told her to leave it alone.

She couldn't blame Nick's anger. She disrespected him, disregarded his feelings, embarrassed him in front of his colleagues, and most importantly she put herself and her pregnancy in a bad situation. And because of those feelings, those facts, along with the pain of disappointing Nick, she cried quietly, trying hard not to let him know.

Nick had felt her slip out of their bed and knew she was headed for the bathroom, but he was surprised when he heard the shower go on since she was already dressed in her pajamas and in bed. Nick put his magazine down on his lap and stared straight ahead. He thought for a moment about how cold he was treating her. He wondered why he couldn't just let it go...she was sorry, he knew she was...she not only apologized but he could feel how much she meant it. He didn't have to treat her like he couldn't bear the sight of her...She made a mistake and he was really beating her up for it. He just wasn't sure how to discuss this again without being so angry.

He wondered if he should just go to sleep; he would be over it by the morning for sure.

He just wasn't sure he could get over it right now...


	80. Ups and Downs

I do not own CSI.

Rated M for SMUT

**I sure do wish I was getting reviews from my readers...  
**

**I'm giving you chapter after chapter and yet you still rarely review... :o(**

**Are you sick of this story? **

**Maybe that's why?**

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**In this chapter...**

**Jules needs to make up with Nick, but Nick isn't over his anger just yet...**

**Jules knows what would make Nick forget about his anger real quick...**

**...and she goes for it...**

* * *

When Jules was finished crying and got out the hurt and guilt she needed to release, she got herself ready for bed...again.

She wiped the steam off the mirror and looked at her reflection.

"_Fuck! I hate it when your eyes and nose get red when you cry_!" she frowned at herself.

She would have to make sure he didn't see her face. She did not want him to know she cried.

She dried herself off, threw her wet hair in a ponytail, and pulled on the same nightshirt she was wearing before. Jules took a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom, straight to her dresser. She grabbed a pair of clean panties and put them on.

* * *

Nick had wanted to go to bed but he just couldn't sleep without at least kissing her goodnight. So, instead of turning off his light and rolling over, Nick found a new article to read and he waited for her. When she came out he noticed her hair was wet but her nightgown was the same. He secretly watched her go to her dresser. He inconspicuously scanned her as she slid on fresh panties. He wondered if she would notice she forgot her socks. She didn't.

Jules slipped back into bed but didn't look at him. She didn't want him to see her red eyes. She snuggled deep into the covers and wanted to quickly fall asleep but she couldn't; suddenly she felt like crying again, but she refused to. Instead, she stared at the wall and swallowed back the sadness. Finally she couldn't take it anymore and rolled over and looked at him.

"Why won't you even look at me?" she asked softly.

Finally Nick looked over at her and her sad eyes made him melt. He knew once he looked at her he could forgive her for anything and he didn't want to forgive her just yet so he kept his eyes away from hers. But now, finally looking at her, seeing the sadness in her eyes…Nick took a deep breath and knew he was finished with his anger.

"I'm looking at you," he said calmly.

"I'm glad," she said relieved. "Do you forgive me?"

"No," he said and then he smiled. "Of course I forgive you, Babe, come on…you know I love you…you just really scared me today…you made me literally sick with worry," he explained in his southern accent.

"I know I did…I didn't mean for it all to happen that way…I was going to tell you myself…but it didn't go as I hoped and then I forgot to turn the phone on…it was one thing after another…it all went so wrong. It was stupid…I know it…I'm sorry," she said as her voice cracked and her stubborn tears decided to creep up into her eyes.

Nick tossed his magazine on the floor.

"Hey, hey, don't' you start cryin' now, Darlin'…Com'mere," and he reached his arm over and scooped her into him.

Jules scooted over to his side of the bed and rested her cheek on his bare chest.

"I'm not," she said denying she had tears welling in her eyes.

Nick began playing with her hair wrapping it around his fingers. He kissed the top of her head before his next statement.

"I forgive you, **BUT**, I still mean what I said, Sunshine, that was the **LAST **time you will ever visit him again, you agree with that, right?" he reminded her.

"I do, Nick, I agree," she told him already feeling relieved just by being in his arms, "Now can we just forget it ever happened?"

"Forget it?" he shook his head slightly and raised his eyebrow, "…**how **exactly do you want me to forget something like that?" he said calmly, "I can still hear Kevin Young in my head…'_I thought you would want to know…your **wife **is at the joint._'" he said as his head went back against the headboard and he groaned.

Jules was silent for a minute thinking about that. And then, she had an idea. She smiled even though he couldn't see her face.

And then… she looked up at him.

"I bet **I** can make you forget my bad behavior, Cowboy," she said smirking.

Nick gave her a side smile realizing her look was devilish.

"Yeah? How might you do that, Babe?" his smile widened.

"Why don't you sit back, relax, and find out for yourself?" Jules whispered and disappeared under the covers.

Nick felt her move downward and crawl in between his legs. Jules pushed them apart with her outer thighs as she began kissing his bare stomach. She loved how tight and toned his stomach was against her lips and tongue. He was so sexy it made her crazy. Jules lowered his boxers down slowly and seductively, making sure her nails trailed down his bare sides softly. Jules could hear him laughing softly up on the pillow. She smiled knowing he was enjoying this…she could not only hear him chuckle but she could now see his excitement from his blazing hard-on standing in front of her face.

Jules slowly licked the tip first before putting Nick's cock into her mouth. She began to suck the top before moving her head back and forth, taking him deeper. She waited a second or two before diving back down and taking it whole again fast and deep. She slid her mouth up and down him rapidly and dragged her nails up and down his inner thighs as she sucked him. She made sure it was one of her best blow jobs ever….after all she needed to be forgiven. She couldn't bear it when he was mad at her.

She heard him groan from the pleasure and slide down off the headboard to lie on his back.

Jules stopped.

"What's a matter, Babe?" he panted out, "Why'd ya stop?"

"Do you forgive me?" she asked.

Nick started to laugh.

"Yeah, Baby, I forgive ya, **_keep going_**…" he said as he looked under the covers at her.

"You swear? You won't be so mad at me anymore?" she asked looking up at him from under the covers holding his dick in her hand.

"_**Yesssss, Babe, I forgive you,**_" he groaned and threw his head back on the pillow, "**YES**!"

"So it's done? No more questions about it?" she continued.

"Jules? I said I forgive you…_**are you trying to kill me**_?" he asked her.

Jules laughed at his dramatic response and without another word she took him deep and worked her magic on him again. She loved the way he groaned from the pleasure she was giving him. It made her want to please him more.

"Uhhh, holy shit…uhhhh…that feels so fucking good, Baby," he groaned as Jules' head made the covers go up and down frantically.

Nick threw his arm over his face and closed his eyes. The pleasure she was giving him was driving him insane.

"Ohhh damn, Baby, you are amazing…whoa…wow…" he panted out over and over.

Jules didn't answer him. She didn't talk dirty to him. She just sucked his dick rapidly with her mouth and dragged her fingers around his balls making him absolutely crazy. She could hear his muffled groans and she knew he was enjoying how she was "making up" with him.

"Oh, Babe…oh, oh, …you're gonna make me cum," he said as he reached under the covers and grabbed the first thing he could reach….her ponytail.

Grabbing it he tugged her upward.

"Ow! _**Hey**_!" she yelled at him laughing at the same time.

"Get up here, I can't take it…you're driving me crazy wild, Baby," he said pulling her head out from under the covers by her ponytail and diving into her neck with his mouth.

His hands grabbed her hips and he lifted her over his cock instantly.

"Wait, Texas, wait!" she laughed, knelt up, and wiggled off her panties, throwing them to the side.

She quickly resumed her position, followed his lead, and slid herself onto him. The feeling was sheer ecstasy for both of them.

"Ohhhh, yeah, oh, baby, you feel so good," Nick whispered to her as he pushed his hips up into her.

Jules rocked on him fast and Nick grabbed her hips tightly and lifted her up and down on him frantically. He was going crazy for her and she knew it.

The power she had over him at that moment was obvious…she knew he couldn't stand it anymore so she leaned into his neck and grazed his earlobe with her lips.

"You like that, Cowboy?" she said in her raspy voice, "You like me riding you…sliding up and down on you…you like that, my big man?" she licked his neck and sucked his earlobe as she spoke.

"You are owning me right now, Honey…" he laughed lightly before groaning again.

While still mounted on top of him, Jules reached down grabbed the bottom of her nightshirt and pulled it up over her head and let it fall by their sides. Nick stared at her tiny waist and bare breasts and his cheeks puffed as he blew the air from his lungs dramatically. His hands reached out and began to rub both breasts seductively.

Jules sped her movements up, leaned over and held onto his shoulders to give her leverage to move faster and slam back onto him deeper.

"Slow down, Darlin', you're gonna make me cum, slow down," he begged.

Jules didn't listen.

"Slow it down, Honey, please…you're gonna make me cum, Baby,…I won't be able to wait for you if you don't slow down," he groaned and panted out his words.

"I don't want you to…this is for **you**," she whispered into his ear seductively.

Nick couldn't hold back.

"Arghh" was the only reply he could make as he felt every part of him erupt inside her.

Feeling his pulsating eruption and feeling him grab her ass hard and push her on to him deeper as he came, sent a wave of unexpected heat over her too. Jules didn't plan on having an orgasm but Nick Stokes managed to get her off simply by being inside her.

Jules heard herself cry out as she came and she grabbed his hands. She laced his fingers with hers and gripped them tightly as her walls clamped tightly around him.

He watched her as she was cumming too and he loved it.

Nick instantly rolled her over on her back fast, hovered over her, and slammed furiously into her as he felt her walls squeezing him tightly. She cried out loudly again as he thrust in and out of her wildly until he finally slowed down his pace. They rode out their throbbing orgasms together until Nick finally fell on top of her completely numb and panting.

Jules held him in her arms and stroked his hair. She kissed his cheek and inhaled the scent on his neck.

He finally lifted his head off her shoulder and looked down at her with his deep, brown, eyes. They didn't have any words for each other just yet. Instead of speaking, Jules ran her finger over his gorgeous features. She traced his brow, down the bridge of his perfect nose and over his strong square jaw. He stared at her as she studied his handsome face with her finger.

"I love you, Baby," he said before leaning down to kiss her. "_**Don't you ever **_scare me like that again…I lost my mind…if anything happened to you…I would absolutely lose my mind, do you get it?" he whispered. "I know I didn't have to scream at you like that but _**I was just so scared**_…," he admitted.

"I get it, Cowboy," she said wrapping her arms around his bare back and hugging him tightly. "I deserved it…I really am so sorry, you know that, right?"

"Yeah, I know you are...I know," Nick answered nodding, before finally rolling off of her.

He laid on his back staring at the ceiling.

"That was really awesome, Darlin'" he mumbled weakly.

"It realllllly was," she smiled and whispered back.

After a few minutes of lying together silently in pure bliss, Nick finally leaned down and searched under the covers for his boxers and put them back on. Jules did the same with hers and her nightshirt, After they were situated and ready to go to bed, Jules looked up from snuggling in his arms.

"Hey, Texas? What happened to my brother and Trista? Did you tell them to leave or something?" she asked concerned.

"No! I wouldn't do that! They left…um, separately," he said.

"But **WHY**?" she implored, "Trista said she would hang out with me and she bolted out with the dishes on the table. Was everything okay?" she asked him worriedly.

"Yyyep, but listen to THIS…you will not believe me!" he said propping himself up on his elbow with little boy excitement.

"Really? **WAIT**…wait…hold that thought. Let me pee and I will come right back," she said wondering if having to pee all the time was already becoming a side effect of being pregnant.

Jules scurried into the bathroom, peed, swished her mouth with mouthwash, washed her hands, and hustled quickly back to the bed to hear what it was that Nick wanted to tell her.

But when she got back and crawled into bed…

…Nick was already sound asleep...


	81. Wake Up Call

I do not own CSI

Rated M for sexual content.

**Warning SMUT**

**Jules thought about the night they fought and then remembered how they made up.**

**Nick thought about the night they fought and now he is remembering how they made up the next morning too.**

**These two are always on each others minds...(awwww...I wish he loved ME like that!)**

**

* * *

**

**By the way, I am officially not responsible if my writing starts to suck. **

**No reviews = lousy writing. **

**It is not my fault! I thrive on encouragement!**

* * *

As he was just about to hit the speed dial to call his wife, Bobby Dawson popped his head into the break room.

"Hey, Nick, don't think I forgot about that slug you gave me," he tapped his hand against the door a few times, "I am getting to it next, I promise you," he pointed at him.

"Oh good, good…very cool, thanks, Bobby," Nick smiled.

He had been hoping to get the ballistics back before his shift ended. It made him happy that that just might happen for him. He couldn't wait to be done with his second shift though, he was tired. He was very tired and he looked forward to going home.

Nick watched his spoon stir the sugar around in his second cup of coffee and he smiled to himself. He began to think about Jules. He had been remembering the fight they had but suddenly he began to remember how they made up. It was true his anger engulfed him the day he screamed at Jules but it was also true that making up with her was definitely all consuming as well. He thought about that blow job she gave him and he chuckled softly to himself and then shifted in his seat.

Taking the spoon out from his mug and placing it down on the napkin beside it, he looked around embarrassed at himself for remembering the steamy sex they had that continued into the next morning. Nick took a sip of his coffee and allowed his thoughts to wonder again.

* * *

He wasn't used to going to sleep early and getting up at a normal hour. He was used to working the night away and then catching his sleep until noon. Having last night off was a nice change and he was glad that he and Jules made up before going to sleep.

Nick looked over at her sleeping and smiled. He was ridiculously in love with her and he knew it. He was also ridiculously turned by her and he knew that too.

Nick slid out of bed and walked into the bathroom. After he peed, he brushed his teeth, and threw some water on his face. Drying it off he looked in the mirror at his reflection and smiled.

_"You still can't keep your hands off her can ya, Stokes?"_ he said silently.

Walking out of the bathroom he looked over at the bed and saw she was still asleep. He smirked devilishly…he instantly wanted morning sex from her and he was like a lion ready to pounce…he couldn't help himself…she just looked so enticing.

Heading for the bedroom door he closed it slowly and quietly and then locked it. He was planning on making his move.

Nick stepped out of his boxers on his way back to the bed and left them on the floor. Crawling slowly under the covers, he scooted up to Jules, and although she was not facing him, he draped his arm around her side and pulled her sleeping body into him. He felt her snuggle into him instinctively as she slept.

Nick brushed away some of the hair that had fallen over the side of her face revealing her sweet, bare, neck. He leaned his face into her neck and inhaled her scent. He let his draped hand slip under the covers and find the hem of her nightshirt which had pooled up as she slept. Nick began to kiss her neck softly and subtly while his middle finger gently slid up and down her slit right over her underwear. He felt her squirm a bit not fully waking. He smirked knowing she was going to feel the heat very soon.

He didn't know that Jules could feel Nick slip back into bed and by the way he pulled her into him she knew what he was after. Jules knew he enjoyed waking her up by turning her on so she didn't let him know she was awake yet.

Nick began to move his fingers under her panties and slid one inside her; he could feel she was already wet. As he began to slide his finger in and out of her he used his index finger to rub the top of her clit softly. He waited knowing he would soon get a reaction. Jules sighed and Nick could feel her heat. He dipped his face into her neck and sucked it slowly. He felt her tilt her head so he could get better access to it. He smiled. She was awake.

"I know your not sleeping anymore, Sunshine," he whispered as he kissed her neck.

"You're a dirty man, Nick Stokes," she whispered back.

"And you're too sexy lying here in my bed…you left me no choice," he chuckled and began pushing his hard-on against her ass.

"You are feeling pretty damn good with those fingers of yours, Nick," she moaned out.

"You like that, huh," he said proudly and Jules leaned back into his hard on to show her interest.

Nick arches his hips forward.

Jules laughed softly, "Oh you dirty dog, you took your boxers off already!"

"**AND **locked the door," he said and nuzzled into her neck again.

"Mmmm, you are crazy, you know that?" she laughed.

"Mmm, hmmm,"

"What do you plan on doing to me this morning, Mr. Stokes?" she giggled softly feeling the tickle of his lips on her neck.

"I was planning to put this inside you?" he pushed himself hard against her.

"How? I think you need to explain **how **that will work if your in back of me," she teased trying not to laugh again.

Nick liked sexy talk and the last time she ruined it by laughing in his face.

"Oh, I think I will demonstrate for you instead" he said as he pulled her panties down.

Jules lifted her hip so he could get them down and then kicked them off completely. Once her pulled her panties down, he grabbed the bottom of her nightgown and pulled up; Jules raised herself up and lifted her arms so he could remove it with ease. She looked over her shoulder and smiled at him and he winked and smiled back.

Nick flung her nightgown onto the bed, and began his attack on her neck again. He slowly inserted the tip of his cock inside her from behind.

"Whoa, ohhh," she gasped at the incredible feeling.

Nick laughed at her gasp and slowly pushed his cock inside her farther.

"A little deeper, ya think?" he teased and arched his hips to drive forwards.

Jules leans herself back into him making Nick go inside her as far as he can go. She could feel his tight stomach against her bare ass and she moans as he slides into her again.

Nick firmly takes hold of her hip and, as they spoon together, he pushes himself in and out of her again and again, taking in the scent of her hair, feeling it on his face and groaning softly into her ear.

Jules grabs onto Nick's hand as he grips the side of her hip. Their fingers entwine with each others.

"Have I told you how much I love you?" he whispered in her ear as he nuzzled his nose into her hair while still moving in and out of her seductively.

Jules found it hard to answer him; he was making her feel so good she couldn't form the words. As Nick waits for her answer he kisses his way down her neck and onto her bare shoulder. As he pumps inside her faster he kisses her back and pulls her in to him tighter.

Jules tried to muffle her moans in the pillow as Nick begins to thrust harder into her again and again... sliding in and out of her wildly... faster and faster. Hearing her unable to control her moans makes Nick hotter. He pushes his arm against the mattress and under her waist, so he can wrap his arm around her and hold on to her as he thrusts deep. His other hand releases the grip he has on her hip and he slides his hand up to her breast, rubbing his fingers over her nipple.

Jules feels a wave of pleasure and she closes her eyes and sucks in a huge breath of air.

Finally, with her heart pounding, she looks back at him.

"You are an absolutely incredible lover…do you realize how good you make me feel, Cowboy?" she admits.

"Yeah, Baby, I do know how good this feels," he whispers into her neck as his arms encase her body tightly.

Jules reaches behind her and grabs hold of Nick's ass as he continues to pound himself into her from behind. He feels so good she needs to feel his mouth on hers so she moves her shoulders back and turns her head enough so that he can lean in and kiss them. Their lips crave each others and perfectly connect together as their tongues dance together intimately.

Nick pulls out of her and spins her onto her back. He grabs her hands in his and pins them by each side of her head. Squeezing his fingers with hers tightly he hovers over her and pushes himself into her once again. He begins to move slowly at first, just staring down at her admiring her beauty, feeling thankful she is his.

Jules looks up at him and is intoxicated by the love she feels for him. She is awestruck at how handsome he is. Even after being with him for years she still finds him to be absolutely gorgeous. His deep brown eyes mesmerize her, his strong jaw line is irresistible, his nose is absolutely picture perfect. She loves every part of this man. He truly owns her heart.

"I love you, Nick, my God I love you," she whispers as she softly smiles at him.

Nick leans down and kisses her and once again their kiss is filled with love and heated emotion.

He begins to thrust into her faster and harder as he kisses her, making her moan into his mouth. Jules wraps her legs around his body tightly and she begins to grip his hands harder and tighter as she feels her intense orgasm overtake her body. Nick can feel her cumming hard on his cock causing him to pull away from their kiss. He moves his head upward, squeezes his eyes shut and groans loudly as he cums hard inside her.

The two of them groan and moan as they climax together.

Nick soon falls on top of her sweaty and breathing hard. Jules lets her legs slide slowly down and off his body. She wraps one arm around him and rubs his sweaty bare back with her fingers while the other hand strokes his soft dark hair; she whispers to him softly.

"I cannot think of a better way to wake up in the morning, Texas, I really can't."

Nick laughs and rolls off of her still panting from the intensity of his orgasm.

"Good, because I can wake you up like that any time you want me to, baby."

Jules rolls on her side to look at him.

Still on his back, he turns his head and looks over at her.

"You are one hell of an amazing lover, Cowboy…seriously…you take my breath away…you can make me see stars, I'm telling you!" she laughs and runs her fingertips over his stomach.

"Oh yea? Tell me more... How good am I?" he says with his deep southern accent begging for more compliments.

"Ohhh soooo goooood," she raises her eyebrow before leaning over and kissing his lips softly.

Nick reaches his arm up and wraps it around her back pulling her in close to him. Her bare breasts rest onto his chest. His other hand reaches up and moves some of her hair behind her ear as he looks at her.

"You liked it?" he whispers.

"I loved it," she smiles.

"Wanna do it again?" he puts his hand behind her head and pulls her into a gentle kiss that quickly becomes heated.

Jules roams her hands all over his naked shoulders and arms.

Nick starts to push his body over hers and is ready to move himself back on top of his wife when they both hear the door knob shake.

"Is you in dair, Daddy?" the tiny voice asks from the other side of the door, "Mommy?"

Nick looks at Jules and he groans with disappointment.

Jules pushes Nick off of her fast and quickly searches for her nightgown. Nick whimpers and throws himself down on the bed.

"Yes, Honey, we'll be right there," she calls to Emma sweetly.

"The daw won't open, Mommy! I is tryin' but it stucked!" she says with her voice beginning to sound upset and panicked.

"It's okay, Em, I'm right here," she says stumbling to the door, grabbing Nick's boxers up off the floor and whipping them at him.

She stands at the door with her hand on the door knob waiting until he slips them on. Once he has them on she opens it and kneels down to her level.

"See, Mommy is right here," she smiles and picks her up.

Nick leans against the headboard, looks across the room at his daughter and he smiles. Suddenly he isn't disappointed that he won't be making love to his wife for a second time this morning. The sight of his toddler with her messy hair, her thumb in her mouth and her worn out tattered blanket gripped tightly in her hand makes his heart melt.

Emma looks across the room at her father and her eyes light up. She doesn't feel scared out in the hall anymore now that she sees he is there. She takes her thumb out of her mouth and smiles as her mother carries her over to their bed.

Nick holds his arms out to her, "Well good morning, Princess…Daddy is right here, Baby...Com'mere" he says and holds out his arms to her.

Emma leans out from her mother's arms and Nick catches her in his and pulls her into his chest.

"Hi, Daddy," she grins and puts her thumb back in her mouth and rests her little head on his bare shoulder.

Jules walks to the other side of the bed, grabs her panties off the floor and slides them on quickly before hopping back into bed. Scooting herself next to Nick, she covers Emma with the comforter and the three of them snuggle down in the covers. Nick drapes his one arm over Jules and the other across Emma's back as she rested on his chest.

Nick smiles brightly and kisses his daughter on the top of her head before leaning over and doing the same to his wife.

"Now this is another great way to wake up in the morning," he says and closes his eyes, soaking in the love he feels from them both.


	82. Swirling Thoughts

I do not own CSI

Rated T

**This chapter sucks. I know it. But here it is anyway.**

**Jules, Nick, and Warrick Chapter.**

**It involves their flashbacks and their conversations.**

**Any chance for a review?  
**

* * *

The entire time she folded the laundry she had thought about that fight, what caused it, and how they made up. She was so glad it was over. So, finally, after two laundry baskets filled with folded clothes sat beside her, she shook her head and decided it wasn't even worth thinking about anymore. Any of it. All of it. It happened weeks ago and it was over and **not **to be brought up again. Instead of dwelling on any of it, she decided that maybe a nice BBQ with friends would be a good way to just be happy and carefree. She wanted him to relax on his well earned day off; she wanted it to be nothing like the last time.

But before she left the thoughts of that day behind her she realized that she and Nick never did talk about why Trista and Warrick left so abruptly that night or what it was that he wanted to tell her about it. He had also fallen asleep by the time she came out of the bathroom so he never did tell her what he seemed excited to share. The two of them had forgotten to talk about it by the time morning rolled around and then with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, she had forgotten about it completely; it was just dawning on her now.

Jules figured it couldn't have been anything that exciting though or else Nick would have been all over that. He would have been smirking with excitement like a little boy with a secret. He was like that with her. He could be this serious, in control CSI, but when it came to things he wanted to share with her, he usually spilled his guts.

Jules bit the side of her lip, frowned in deep thought and wondered what it could be. She almost couldn't wait for him to tell her. She had no idea what it could possibly be…not even a clue. She decided to put the dreaded laundry away and then she would be sure to call him.

* * *

Nick drank the last of his coffee and leaned back in his chair stretching his arms over his head. He contemplated getting a third cup of coffee before heading back to work on his case. Another cup wasn't a bad idea after the crazy cases they worked on the past two shifts. He rubbed his hands up and down his face but looked up when he heard Warrick call to him from the doorway.

"You going back to the lab?" he asked hanging in with his arm wrapped on the other side of the wall.

"Yeah, why?" he asked.

"Cus I will right back; hang out for a few with me," he asked.

"Yeah," Nick nodded letting him know he'll hang longer.

As Warrick left, Nick poured himself his third cup of coffee and poured in his sugar, stirring it around and letting his thoughts roll back once again.

He remembered the call he got from Warrick the night that he was so angry with Jules.

When his cell phone rang at 3:00 in the morning he didn't know whether to be worried or pissed. If they were calling him in on his night off after pulling a double he would be really, really, mad. Before it could wake Jules, Nick reached over to the end table, saw the time on the clock, and grabbed the phone quickly before looking to see who it was.

"Stokes" he said groggily.

"Nick, it's me," he heard Warrick say.

Nick, got out of bed and tripped in the dark on his way into the bathroom. Closing the door behind him, he turned on the light and whispered.

"Everything all right, man? It's 3:00 in the morning!"

"Yeah, everything's all right. I gotta talk to you, man," Warrick slurred.

Nick could tell he was obviously drunk.

"Where are you?" he asked.

"I'm home, throwing a few back," he answered. "I saw Trista tonight... when I was out at Murphy's. She saw me leaving with Jenna, that Honey from the Tangier, remember?" he said.

"No, but go on," he answered rubbing his eyes.

"Well, I was trying to get my mind off of Trist and she fucking saw me!" he groaned.

"Are you telling me you got it this bad for _**TRISTA**_?" he almost yelled, "So bad you are calling me on my night off? This fucking night off _**SUCKS**_…between you and your sister!" he said annoyed.

"I'm sorry, man, the reason I am calling is to ask you…no, to **beg you **to please not tell Baby Girl what you heard tonight. Promise me, Nick…**OH GOD, YOU DIDN'T ALREADY TELL HER DID YOU?"** he yelled frantically.

"No, I fell asleep before I could," he laughed.

"Nick, please…I got it bad for this broad. She has a spell on me, Nick, I'm telling you!" he complained.

"She does not have a spell on you, Rick, knock it off," he said not entirely sure what was going on with his best friend.

"You don't know…you don't know, Nick….the sex was mind blowing. It was like…I can't even describe it…it was just like two people that should have been together a long time ago…it was like two people that were a perfectly explosive match…" he mumbled on drunkenly.

"Dude, get some sleep…you're losing your mind," Nick rubbed his face.

"Nick, promise me…on our years of friendship…you don't tell my sister until I get this all settled…until I get my head on right…I'm begging you…" he pleaded drunkenly.

"Yeah, Boss, I won't say anything, okay? Can I go back to sleep now?" he said shaking his head.

* * *

Warrick strolled back into the break room just as Nick was wishing he could tell Jules about the secret fling Warrick had with Trista.

Nick nodded upward at him.

"What's up, man," Nick said grabbing an apple from the counter and sitting back down."

"Hey, nothing, I need to get a cup of coffee, man, my eyes are fallin'" he said as he poured himself a cup and grabbed a packaged coffee cake from his stash.

"Yeah, it's been a long one. This is my third cup. I can't wait to go home and veg out…" he said taking a bite out of the green apple. " I was just sittin' here thinking about how the last day I had off I spent being mad at your sister…I want nothing but peace and happiness with my kid and my wife this time," he said nodding.

"Can't blame ya…she really lit the fuse last time," he shook his head disgustedly.

Nick gave him a look back as if to say he would have liked to choke his wife for that.

Warrick put his coffee cake down before taking a bite and looked over at Nick.

"Listen, Nick…" he started to say before Nick cut him off.

"Oh Christ, do I have to hear about your hang up with Trista again? This is crazy, Rick!" he complained. "And I swear to God I haven't told Jules, which, by the way, is killing me!"

"I know… I know you never said anything to Baby Girl…I know you didn't or else she would be all up in my grill by now," he said adamantly.

"Hey, hey, I told you I wouldn't, Warrick, I keep my word, man," Nick squinted his eyes, "but I gotta tell ya…I cannot wait to tell her so you better get this shit together and let me unleash this crazy ass story to her!" he laughed loudly.

"It's not…it's…God, Nick…I don't even know what to say…what to do…," he shook his head, "I cannot believe this is happening to me. I cannot believe **who **is making me feel this way…" he sighed.

"Alright, enough! If you are gonna keep talkin' about it then you gotta at least tell me what went on with you two! I mean how the hell did this happen? You gotta tell me this story, man…" he leaned forward on his forearms eager to know.

"All right man, here it is," he said almost relieved to finally give it up and share his story with his best friend.

"She and I left the Bellagio furious at you and Jules for lying to us," he explained.

Nick nodded remembering the night.

"So, we go back to my place for whatever reason and we were in my kitchen just talking. And we started argue, shocker, I know, but we were arguing and she got so mad at me she threw her drink in my face."

Nick started to laugh softly not surprised by Trista's temper.

"I wound up taking off my shirt, she tried to walk by me, next thing I know we are standing inches apart, and I don't know what happened, man…I kissed her. And talk about a fuse being lit... Whooooosh!" Warrick revealed.

"And?" Nick pried.

"And we fucked like wild animals…"

Nick jerked his head back slightly, raised his eyebrows and let his mouth fall open to show his shock.

"…and ya wanna know the craziest part?" Warrick shook his head, "She was by far, thee best sex I have ever had and you know me…I have had more than a few Honeys, Nick"

Nick started to laugh again and nodded. "Okay, so you two had sex and then what?" he asked.

"Actually, we didn't stop having sex… for at least a couple hours, bro," he smirked.

"Sweet," Nick nodded slowly and smiled.

"Oh, you ain't kidding, whoooosh," he made the swishing sound again to emphasize his good time, "But, Nick, she blew me off. She wasn't a typical clinger…she bolted. She said…"

"Yeah, I heard what she said…what was it she called you? Holmes?" he chuckled.

"Yeah, well then you know what she said," he remembered Nick had come down the stairs just as Trista told him to get over it.

"So, she still isn't receptive?" Nick winced.

"Nah, she has blocked me cold, boss. She has shut me down like I am the antichrist," he rubbed his hands over his face. "And the worst part, man? The worst part is I can't get her out of my head. I can't walk away and it is killing me. Why can't I walk away from this? **THIS is NOT like ME!**" he nearly yelled in frustration. _**"YOU know me…this is crazy!"**_

'Rick, you gotta walk away, man, she is telling you it's not gonna happen!" Nick tried to help.

Warrick could hear Nick's words of wisdom but they just bounced off of him. He wished it could be so easy.

"I know that, Nick, of course I know it, but…" he sighed.

"Listen to me, Warrick, okay?" Nick said getting up and tossing his apple in the trash. As he rinsed his mug out in the sink he tried to talk to his buddy rationally. "I love Trista, I do…she is an amazing friend and a great girl **BUT**…" he turned back to Warrick while putting his mug into the cabinet, "but she is not girlfriend material. You know this! She's told us how she catches the guy and then leaves the poor guy in the dust. She treats them like they're a game," Nick said trying to be helpful.

"Yeah, but, that all goes back to her own issues, man. She isn't cold hearted. She just doesn't want to get hurt again," Warrick looks at Nick who is standing at the door ready to leave, "Her father was a rolling stone, man,…as soon as something caught his eye he would drop them all and be out the door," he told Nick what Nick already knew, "She is repeating it just so it won't happen to her again, ya know? I mean, she started doing this even more after Dan Sutton broke her heart," he explained.

"I know she isn't cold…and I know why she does it,.. But **s**_**o what, Rick**_? Who cares **why **she is doing it? Do you really want to take your chances of her getting involved with you only for her to bail out and run away?" he asked sincerely, "Why would you want to risk everything for that?"

"Because I can beat the odds…I know I can. It's different with her, I am telling' ya," he said not completely sure he was right.

"Well, alright then, go after her and good luck to ya," he shrugged, "I hope your gamble ain't a disaster because Jules loves you both deeply," he shook his head worriedly, "You and Trista are a lot alike…you might have met your match, Bro,…I don't think I like this," he said about to leave but he turned back to say one last thing… "Look, if she breaks you…don't let it affect your relationship as friends…because then you're putting me and Jules in a bad place…if you can do that then by all means, man, go for it.

Warrick sighed loudly, "I know, I won't fuck anything up…I plan on going for it…I just don't know if she will go for me."

"Hah, never thought I would hear Warrick Brown say **THAT**," he yelled from down the hall.

"Me either, man, me fuckin' either," Warrick whispered quietly to himself feeling completely disgusted by his behavior.


	83. Incentive

I do not own CSI

Rated M

**Silly little dribble chapter**

**No reviews mean I don't write all that well...**

**Here is a pretty lame chapter...Really sorry about that. **

**Can't seem to get the creative juices flowing.**

**Let me know your thoughts...it might help.**

**Otherwise...here ya go...**

* * *

Nick left Warrick behind wallowing in his thoughts and, while he felt bad for his brother in law, he couldn't help but smirk. The whole scenario was absurd. "_Warrick and Trista?"_ Nick laughed under his breath. _"Sucks to fall hard, doesn't it, bro!" _he thought knowing how bad Warrick tormented him for falling hard for Jules.

As Nick walked down the hall to the lab, his cell phone rang. Grabbing it from his hip he smiled when he saw it was his wife.

"Hey, Baby," he answered happy to hear the voice on the other end, "I was just about to call you."

"Oh yeah? Am I on your mind?" she said in a sexy voice, "Do you want me to talk dirty to you too? Maybe tell you what I want to do to you when you sleep in our bed tonight?"

"Always, you dirty, little, minx," he whispered into the phone laughing softly.

"I love when you have off and sleep in our bed, Cowboy…but I am thinking maybe I won't let you do a lot of sleeping after all…"

"No? Why not, Honey?" he laughed.

"Hmmm, well…I was thinking about that blow job I gave you the last time you had off…except this time it won' t be a 'make up' blow job…just an amazing one…would ya like that, Cowboy? Would ya like me to suck that big, hard, dick of yours?" she tried hard not to laugh as she said it.

Nick stopped dead in his tracks, cupped the phone to his mouth, and leaned against the wall.

"Ooooh, Baby, maybe you should tell me a little more about what else you plan on doing to me in that bed you dirty little…"

"**Uh hem**!" Conrad Ecklie stared at Nick as he turned to see who was behind him.

Nick's face showed the shock of being heard by his superior and by the biggest asshole in the department.

"Babe, I gotta call you later," he said and snapped his phone shut without waiting for a "goodbye".

"You do know this is a place of employment, right CSI Stokes?" Ecklie glared at him, "Don't you have work to do?"

"I do…I do and I am…I am on my way to the Lab," he said walking backwards toward the lab.

"Yeah, I suggest you do that," Conrad frowned and walked into an office.

As soon as he was inside the lab he called Jules back.

"Damn it, Honey, would you believe Ecklie was right behind me? He heard me ask you about what your dirty, little, plans were for me in bed," he groaned.

"Oh no! Was he mad?" she asked biting her lip.

"Yeah, but whatever,I just want you to tell me again what you want to do to me…" he grinned but this time he looked around.

"How about you come home and I show you?" she laughed.

"I think I will definitely have to do that, Sunshine," he smiled wide and his dimples showed. "You'll have to wait a couple more hours till I'm through here though."

"Yeah, I know," she nodded even though he couldn't see her. "Hey, Texas, by the way, remember when you told me you had something to tell me about Trista and Warrick? You never did tell me what it was and I have been thinking about it all day!"

Nick felt himself swallow hard.

"Aw, I don't know, Sunshine, that was a couple weeks ago!" he said keeping his promise to his brother in law.

"Oh…oh, darn, all right. Hey, another thing, do you want to have a BBQ tonight? I will invite all our friends and we can fire up the grill and stock the cooler," she asked.

"I gotta get some sleep for few hours, Honey," he groaned.

"Okay, okay," she said understanding.

"Ya know what, Sunshine, yeah, yeah, that sounds fine. Let's have it later in the evening…Sucks you'll be the only sober one there though, huh?" he laughed.

"Sacrifice I gotta make, Cowboy," she smiled and rubbed her stomach. "Will you see my brother?"

"Yeah, I will tell him…what time do ya think?"

"I don't know, um, 6:00? I will see if Lindsay Willows can stay and watch Emma…put her to bed and hang upstairs with her," she told him.

And after hanging up with Nick, she called Lindsay and made the arrangements. And then, she called her best friend.

* * *

"Trista?" she said as she heard her answer the phone.

"Yea?"

"I was sitting here thinking…"

"Uh oh…that's dangerous," she laughed softly.

"You never told me why you and my brother tore out of here the day I had that fight with Nick, did he say something to you guys?" she asked unsure.

"What? I didn't leave with your brother!" she said nervously.

"I know, but you two left after you said you were staying…what happened?"

"Nothing…I don't even remember, Jules! God that was like three weeks ago!" she shot down her questioning fast.

"Oh. Ooooh kkaaay," she sung out the words. "Whatever, listen do you want to come over? I want to have a BBQ since Nick has off. I am thinking about 6:00. Can you come? Food and liquor!"

"Yep, I'll be there."

"Good, I will see you then…come early to help me. I'm going to call Brett."

And she did.

The party was set. The plans were made.

* * *

Jules didn't want to bother Nick while he was working again but she couldn't resist shooting him out a last minute text.

_**BBQ on for 6pm**_

_**Cum home soon  
**_

_**b/c I wanna suck ur**_

_**BIG cock u sexy man**_

Jules cracked up laughing as she typed it. She knew he would love it. And sure enough she got a text back instantly.

**U dirty girl**

**Thnx 4 giving me**

**a hard-on at work.**

**See u in a few.**

Jules smiled wide and had to shake off her own heat that suddenly arose from the thought of him.

Nick smiled wide and chuckled his Nick Stokes' laugh.

"_Damn I love that woman!_" he whispered and worked as fast as he could.

He had incentive.


	84. What Goes Around

I do not, nor have I ever, owned CSI.

Rated T: For language and sexual innuendos.

**THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS! **

**They are super helpful in my continuing to have less of a writers block.**

**This is a Nick and Warrick Chapter.**

**I hope you like it!  
**

**Warrick is losing his mind and dignity over Trista.**

**Nick is loving it since it used to be HIM that was made fun of for it.**

**Here is the conversation between the two friends.**

**Nick is enjoying this far too much...Paybacks are a bitch.**

* * *

Warrick walked back to the lab slowly still deep in thought. He decided he was pathetically in love with Trista. He wondered if he had been for years and just never knew it.

_"I mean, really, what is not to love about that chick? She has a heart of gold, she loves my sister and my niece, she is hot, she is funny, she is feisty and the sex is the best he ever had...what is there not to love about Trista?"_ he said to himself silently.

He instantly realized it was the first time in his life that he **ever **described a girl without listing her **FIRST **quality as being "hot"...and her second being how good she was in bed. Warrick shook his head slightly knowing that it was obviously because her good heart and her love for his family was what grabbed his heart most of all. True, she was a very beautiful girl but that was not what was the most important thing about her. This was a first for Warrick Brown.

Nick looked up from his microscope as Warrick strolled into the lab.

"We are having a BBQ tonight, you in?" Nick asked Warrick.

"Will she be there?" he asked.

"Uh huh," Nick said still looking back into the microscope knowing exactly who Warrick was referring to.

"I'm in," he said instantly.

"Never thought I would see the day, Rick, never thought it, never mind with **WHO**," he laughed scribbling some notes down on some paper next to him.

Warrick scoffed loudly.

"**Ha**, you're tellin' **ME**, bro? Please, I am disgusted with my damn self!" Warrick ran his hand over his face with defeat.

"Hmm, I seem to remember being_** abused mercilessly**_ when I fell hard for your sister," he said as he put some papers into a file folder and marked the outside of it.

"Shut up," Warrick said knowing that Nick was going to have to rub this in his face.

"Well, I'm just sayin'…there was **a lot **of shit I took from you…wait, a lot of shit **I STILL take** from you about it!" Nick says not facing him but instead walking toward the door to drop off his findings to Hodges.

"Yeah, well…that's just because you are always _**all over her**_ and starry eyed, " Warrick yells over but quickly sees Nick stop short, turn around and jerk his head back.

"_**Wait a minute**_, " Nick laughs, "_**don't even go there, chief!**_" he points at Warrick as if to say how pathetic **HE** is being.

Warrick laughs lightly and knows he is behaving the same way Nick swooned over Jules.

"I don't know man... you are just…I don' t know…maybe cus it's my sister…" he defended himself.

"Oh please, it's different because it is your precious 'Baby Girl' and that made it just unbearable for you?" Nick rolls his eyes. "Well wasn't that just too bad...now look at how **you **feel! And look at _**WHO YOU FELL FOR**_! It wasn't my fault the girl I am madly in love with happens to be your kid sister! And not to mention you shoulkd be **HAPPY **I adore her as much as I do!"

"Allll right, Nick...what do you want from me? You want me to tell you I was wrong and I shouldn't have made fun of you for being a pathetic, pussy whipped, sap?" he smirked.

"That's nice...real nice...And **I AM** a pathetic, pussy whipped, SAP? Look in the mirror, Buddy!" Nick shook his head laughing.

Warrick looks down at his paperwork and won't look up to admit the truth.

Nick turns and heads back for the door.

Nick gave a Nick Stokes laugh. "Hah Haaah…_**paybacks**_, Rick…paybacks…they are aaaaa bitch, aren't they!" he laughed his upward chuckle even louder and walked out of the lab with his folder swinging in his hand.

* * *

The time had gone by faster than he thought which made Nick very happy. He couldn't wait to get out of there. He made sure he told a few of his co-workers about the BBQ before he heading out though.

As he walked down the hall toward the elevator, he looked at his watch and noticed it was already 12:00 in the afternoon. A devilish grin washed across his face. He knew if he got home quickly his daughter would be napping…he was already turned on by the thought of Jules' text. Nick blew the air out of his lungs loudly just from the image he had of looking down at her and seeing her mouth on his hard dick….He found himself having to shake off the thought that made his heart beat a little faster.

Warrick was walking down the hall and heading to the locker room to get his things together. He couldn't wait to go home. He needed to sleep. He wished his stomach would stop flipping from the excitement he felt from knowing he would be seeing Trista tonight.

He was in deep thought about Trista yet again when he saw Nick leaving with his duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

"What are you smiling' about, Chief?" Warrick said as Nick stepped into the elevator to leave.

Nick suddenly couldn't resist the urge to bust Warrick's chops at that moment. He just couldn't help wanting to give him some sort of torment and he wasn't sure why since he never, ever, messes with Warrick in **this **way.

"Why am I smiling?" he asked with a sideways smirk.

"Yeah…why, because we're finally outta here?" Warrick asked.

"Yyyep, and because your sister just text me about an _**amazing **_**blow job **she's gonna give me when I get home," he said and laughed hard.

Warrick gasped and turned his head away like it was a horrible crime scene.

"**ASSHOLE**!" Warrick yelled; his face winced with pure repulsion and utter disgust.

And even after the heavy metal doors closed…

…Warrick could still hear Nick laughing.


	85. Fun and Games

I do not own CSI.

RATED M FOR HOT SEX

************* WARNING SMUT ***************

I got some very nice reviews that I really needed to keep me going, sooooo…

Here is a nice long chapter for ya

And it will be a very exciting chapter for my **SMUT loving fans** that just can't get enough of Nick Stokes in the sack

Dirty little spies! Poor Nick and Jules can't have a romp without you secretly watching their every move. ;oP

Well, here ya go...

P.S. REVIEW! PLEASE!

* * *

She was completely satisfied with the amount of things she was able to cross off her "To Do" list. She had accomplished a lot today and now, with her daughter asleep she could take a shower in peace and get herself out of her housework attire. She looked down at herself. She sighed. She looked like a slob. She was wearing a pair of raggedy jean shorts that could barely be seen peeking out from the bottom of Nick's T-shirt that draped over her small frame.

Looking up at the clock on the kitchen wall, she knew Nick would be home shortly. She decided to jump in the shower now, before he came home. Jules was about to head upstairs when she saw Nick's truck pull into the driveway through the front window. Her heart leaped like a teenage girl on her first date. She couldn't help it. She saw him get out of his truck and as soon as she saw him dressed in uniform she headed straight for the door.

Getting out of his truck, he grabbed his duffel bag off the seat and slung it over his shoulder. He looked at his watch for the fifteenth time as he strolled up to his front door. Nick smiled and chuckled under his breath knowing he just may have made it home in record time.

He smirked deviously as he walked up his front steps. He knew she loved when he wore his CSI uniform so he purposely wore it home for her. He was just about to put the key into the lock when the door opened for him. He smiled at her brightly. She smiled back at him the same way.

"Well hello there, Honey," he said happily, leaning in to kiss her.

"Wow," she backed away from his kiss, grinned and scanned him up and down immediately, "Uh, hellllo there, Handsome," she bit her bottom lip at the sight of him.

Nick started to laugh under his breath. He knew he had her hooked before he even entered the house.

Jules continued to bite her bottom lip to hold back her smile but it wasn't working.

She reached out and touched his name on his vest with her index finger and dragged it across it slowly.

"Um, what can I do for you, Officer Stokes?" she said keeping him standing on the porch.

"Oh no, ma`am, I am not a police officer. I'm with the Las Vegas Crime Lab," he said pretending to be serious and going with it.

"Oh, reallllly? Well there must be some mistake **CSI** Stokes, there is no crime scene here…it's just me and my daughter here and she is **sound asleep **for her nap," she gave a sideways smirk. "In fact, I don't think she will be awake for **at least another hour or two**!"

"Hmmm, well, I'm sorry but I need to come in and investigate a possible crime scene, Ma`am," he winked at her.

Standing on his porch and Jules in the doorway, Nick dropped his duffel bag on the ground and rested both his hands on her hips. He leaned in and kissed her and moved her backward into the foyer. He kicked the door closed gently with his foot, leaving his duffel bag behind him on the porch. He didn't care where he left it; all he cared about was getting his hands on his wife.

Jules broke away from his kiss.

"Wow, CSI Stokes, um, you just kissed me…," she stuttered keeping with her coy act.

"Yes, I was looking for trace evidence, Ma`am…You really never know where you might find it," he said in his deep southern drawl as he nodded and leaned in for another kiss.

"Did you find anything, Sir?" she pressed her lips together trying not to smile.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss what I've found, but I would like to know where you got that shirt your wearin'," he said scanning her up and down.

Jules winced. She had forgotten what a slob she looked like. But, looking back at her husband's glare she realized, she couldn't be wearing anything more enticing to her him than his clothing. Nick loved her in his clothes…he always had.

Suddenly smiling from the realization, Jules looked down at the shirt.

"Well, it's um, it's not mine," she said, "I swear."

"Uh huh," he nodded suspiciously and with a slight smirk, "Well, I'm gonna need to take that," he said moving forward as she backed up into the wall.

"Wait!" she put her hands up in defense.

Nick cocked his head and squinted at her.

"Do you have a warrant, CSI Stokes?" she asked raising her eyebrow at him.

"Do I need one?" he smiled wide.

"Well, um, I'm not conversant in the law, Sir, but yes, I do believe you need a warrant," she tilted her head and squinted at him.

Nick tried hard not to laugh.

"Well, normally, a police officer would give you that BUT I am _**verrry **_pleased to tell you that I **DO **have a warrant," he nodded slowly with a serious face.

"Oh."

"Uh huh."

"Well, um…"

"Would you like to see it?" he moved even closer to her.

"Yes, Sir, I would."

"Well, Ma`am, you can find it in my front pocket. It's in there…just feel around for it." he grinned.

"Oh, realllllly," she smiled, "Let me see about that CSI Stokes," she said slowly reaching out for his belt loop, threading her fingers around it and pulling him flush with her.

Jules sticks her hand in the front of Nick's slate gray jeans and moves it around slowly being sure to drag her nails along the rock hard mound that she found inside.

"Did you find it?" he smiled he face leaning closer to her ear.

"Nope. I think you are lying."

"Move your hand a little over to the left…it should be in that area, **I KNOW **it's there," he said inhaling the scent of her hair as he leans in even closer to her.

As Jules stuck her hand back in his front pocket and rubbed up and down as she did, she felt Nick's hands begin to caress her hips and slide up under her shirt.

"Excuse me, um, what do you think you're doing, CSI Stokes?"

"Well, Sweetheart, I need to pat you down…I'm just making sure you don't have anything illegal on you," he said seductively, his breath heated and close to her ear.

"Oh, but you should have asked….I do…I do have a weapon actually," she whispered.

Nick jerked back pretending to be shocked.

Jules smacked the brim of his baseball cap and it fell just above over his eyes.

Nick grabbed the brim of his cap, lifted it off his head, and threw it across the hallway.

"THAT'S IT, Ma`am, I need your hands where I can see 'em," he said, "You just assaulted an LVPD Crime Scene Investigator."

Jules put her hands up in the air.

Nick grabbed her wrist and spun her around and placed her hands behind her back.

Pressing her up against the wall with his body, he let his hands run from her hips, up under her shirt quickly making his way to her bare breasts underneath.

Nick leans in close to her ear, "How long did you say the little girl will be sleeping?" he said in a husky tone.

"A while," she managed to say back heatedly as she felt Nick push his hard-on against the back of her.

Jules chuckles as he guides her into the living room. With one hand still holding her wrists behind her, he uses his other hand to close the French doors behind him. He knew his daughter wouldn't be waking up for a while but he was not about to take any chances.

Hearing her laughing under her breath made him smirk.

"You think this is funny, Ma`am? You are in a lot of trouble," he said in his husky authoritative voice.

"No, Sir," she whispered holding back her laugh.

Nick spun her around to face him and ran his hands over her breasts roughly.

"I need to take this shirt into evidence now," he raised his eyebrow.

He lifts the shirt up over Jules head. She raises her arms in compliance.

"I'm cooperating CSI Stokes," she whispered.

"Good, wise choice."

Nick and Jules stand at the end of the fancy couch in their formal living room and without warning Nick pushes her making her stumble into the arm of the couch and fall backward on to it.

"HEY! Police brutality!" she yelled.

"I told you, Miss, I am NOT an police officer…but you did just try to assault me again!" he laughed as he takes off his shoes and tosses them toward the door.

"I most certainly did not! You are such a liar!" she giggled.

Nick takes advantage of the position she was in. He reaches down and unbuttons her little jean shorts and pulls the zipper down with ease. Jules smiles and bites her bottom lip still scanning him in his LVPD CSI gear. Nick yanks her shorts down and stares at her pink panties before removing them too.

As she lies naked in front of him, he unbuckles his gun holster and rests it on the coffee table; he does the same with his cell phone holder too. She smiles. He removes his CSI vest and she smiles wider just watching him. He pulls his CSI black T-shirt up over his head and she watches his the muscles in his arms flex as he does it. She can feel herself getting wet just from watching him strip. She takes a deep breath and swallows hard as he unbuckles his pants and pulls them, along with his boxers, to his knees; he lets them both fall to his ankles where he kicks them off completely. He reaches down and takes off his socks, throwing them on the floor.

"What are you planning to do to me?" she raised her eyebrow feeling hot and desiring him intensely.

"I need you to scoot yourself up that couch pretty lady…I am gonna have to put my naked body over yours."

"Oh yeah? What kind of procedure is that, CSI Stokes?"

"I have no idea…it just sounds like a really good idea, dontcha think?" he laughs and his dimples crease his face perfectly.

Jules scoots herself backward and Nick climbs over the arm of the couch and moves himself completely over her body; he holds himself up by his knees and forearms just enough as to not crush her. He leans his head down and kisses her slowly before looking back at her.

"I can't be CSI Stokes right now, Baby…I need to be the man who is not workin' crime scenes or looking over descendants…the only body I want to be looking over is yours…and I want to hold it in my arms…feel it next to mine...And I want to make love to you until you gasp for air and then I wanna do it all over again," he whispers.

Jules can feel his love for her and her heart melts. She can also feel his hard-on pressing hard into her thigh. She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him deeply. She wants to please him too. She knows how sensitive his neck and earlobes are and she knows how much it turns him on to hear her breath and moan in his ear and whisper how much she wants him. And so, she kisses his cheek, down to his neck until she reaches her destination.

Nick can feel how hot she is making him. He wants her so bad but he also wants to enjoy all of their foreplay.

"You are teasing me, Darlin' and you know it," he groans as she sucks his earlobe seductively.

"I can't help it, Nicky, I want to smell your neck and taste you while I'm here," she whispers.

Nick decides he can do that same teasing to her and moves his hand downward. He drags his fingertips down her naked side slowly until he reaches _**his **_destination. Jules sucks in a gasp of air as he teases her by stroking everywhere but where she needs it most.

"Nnnick," she moans in his ear.

They are playing a tortuous game with each other. Who can tease each other to the point of no return. Nick knows damn well he will win. He can feel how badly she wants him to touch her. He can feel how she is pushing her hips up in order to try to get his fingers closer.

"Mmmmm," she groans when he gives her the ultimate tease…he rubs the top of her clit in circles knowing how much she can't resist it. Nick won't stop gently massaging her clit as he slowly moves his mouth down to her breast and begins to suck her nipple.

Jules groans again and lets out a whimper as she runs her fingers through his dark hair and pulls him harder against her breast.

Jules can barely breath as he sucks her and rubs her clit at the same time. He is so hot and sexy it takes all the willpower she has not to have an orgasm right then and there. She can't lose this game yet but, because he scooted downward, she can't reach his cock to get some advantage and Nick knows it. She is losing. She can't take it and she begins to arch against him. She wants his desperately inside her.

Jules throws her head back harder into the couch cushion and whimpers with desire.

"Please, Nicky, Oh God please," she begs.

"Please what?" he stops sucking her breast to look up at her with his deep brown eyes staring lustfully at her.

"I want you so bad," is all she can manage to moan.

Nick smiles seductively and strokes her clit faster before slowly sliding two fingers inside her at once.

"How about this, you hot, sexy, little thing," he chuckles knowing he is making her so hot she is grinding under him.

Nick is loving the power he has over her.

Jules moans loudly and clings to his back. Nick can feel her orgasm and her walls tighten around his soaking wet fingers. He feels proud when she gasps for air and clenches one of the couch cushions.

"**Oh NICK**…_OHHHHHH_….Ohhh God I'm cumming…."

He won this round. He made her cum fast.

As Jules tries to breath, Nick moves back up to her, dragging his wet fingers up her clit, over her tight, tan, stomach, and rubs her nipple with her own wetness. She shudders under him. He touches her lips with his wet fingers before grabbing her hair. He kisses her and can taste her on his lips. It makes his cock ache.

Jules kisses him deeply. He is the greatest lover she has ever known.

She is determined to get him just as hot and to beg. She reaches her hand to his extremely hard dick now that she can reach it. She strokes him hard and fast and she knows he likes it from the way his tongue is moving desperately to her neck. Jules takes him off guard by letting go of him, reaching her hands to his upper chest and pushing him hard causing him to roll off her, off the couch, and fall onto the floor on his back.

"Oooh, you dirty, little, wench," he laughed.

Nick reaches his arm over and grabs her wrist before than she can even get up. Yanking her roughly, she flings off the couch too; landing directly on top of him. Jules smirks at him.

"Did you think that will save you?" she laughs and straddles over him, grabs his aching cock, brings it to her mouth and holds the tip of it to her lips. She holds it there before doing anything to him.

He looks down at her.

She looks up at him, and licks her lips seductively.

He groans at the sight and throws his head back down to the floor.

Jules knows she has the power now. She rubs the tip of his cock against her wet, warm, lips. She hears him breath heavily. Without warning she takes him deep and it makes him gasp and moan loudly.

"Ohhhh, Baby, that is fucking amazing," he pants with desire.

Jules begins to take him faster and deeper into her throat, and makes sure she strokes and rubs his balls with her other hand.

Nick is in heaven and he nearly loses control, "**_Get up here…get up here right now, Babe_**," he groans.

"Don't you mean 'please', Nicky?" she smirks.

"_**PLEASE**_…please, Baby…you win, get up here!"

Jules crawls seductively up to him and hovers herself over his aching cock. She slides herself down onto it slowly, making him feel every sensation.

He groans.

She thought she would be in control and make him beg for her to move on him faster but he grabbed her hips tightly and Nick jams himself upward making him take control as he thrusts deeper, harder, and faster into her. Jules wasn't prepared and the feeling made her breathe in short gasps. She arches her back and he continues to slam her up and down on him again and again, making sure he doesn't allow himself to come. It takes sheer will and dick control but Nick is very strong willed. Jules, on the other hand, can't control it and she sucks in her last breath before holding it in and then cries out as she cums hard on him again.

"_**OhhhhhNICK**_!" she groans.

Nick smirks proudly knowing he not only won the first round, he won the second one too.

As Jules slumps over him panting, Nick flips her over onto her back, and hovers over her. He kisses her deeply while she wraps her arms around his neck. He slides himself back into her and then begins his wild thrust deep inside her. Jules isn't sure if her orgasm ever stopped or if another one is on it's way because as Nick pounds into her faster and harder she cries out and cums again. Nick is beyond proud as he feels her having yet another orgasm but he will not stop or slow down. He can't; she feels so good.

Jules is gripping her fingers into his back hard and he wonders if she can breath from the intensity of the orgasm he is giving her.

"You okay, Baby?" he pants.

"Uh huh," she says weakly.

"How many times did I win?" he chuckles softly.

Jules won't answer him but she is thinking at least four but with all the throbbing he has caused she is wondering if it could actually be more.

Knowing he can make her have orgasms over and over again makes Nick hotter and he can feel his body clenching tightly as he can't hold back any longer. He is losing his own fight but it is long overdue. His dick control was impressive.

"Argggggh" Nick gasps and lets out his air loudly as he cums inside her with force.

Both of them can barely even move. All he can do is pull out of her slowly as she kisses him softly and passionately. Nick is sweating so much he is dampening her skin and she loves it.

Jules pulls away and strokes his hair with each hand.

"Oh my God, Cowboy, you are incredible…no seriously…just when I think you cannot possibly get any more amazing…you blow my mind all over again," she says still breathing heavily.

Nick laughs softly under his breath. He looks down at her and smiles arrogantly.

"How many times was that?" he asks proudly.

"Oh shut up you arrogant beast!"

"Well? How many?"

"Honestly? I may have lost count!" she laughs and kisses him hard on his cheek.

Nick stares at her waiting.

"Okay, you really wanna know, Texas?"

Nick nods.

"Four."

Nick grins suspiciously, "Four?"

"Okay, maybe five" she smirks and touches the side of his face as he looks down at her.

"Five?"

"Five."

Niiiiiiice!"

Nick falls back down over her and snuggles into her neck.

He not only had some amazing sex with his wife…

… but he was damn proud of it.


	86. Getting Even

I do not own CSI. I don't own their characters. I make this shit up as I go along.

Rated M for dirty language & sex talk.

**Wow, look what my faithful readers are getting today! **

**2 Chapters in one day right after each other.**

**I hope you like that enough to REVIEW! **

**This Chapter is Nick finally having an opportunity to get even with Warrick.**

**Nick never knew how much fun revenge could be...**

**He never realized how much he had let slide with Warrick and now wants to get even once and for all.**

**And so...he purposely makes the poor guy want to vomit for real.**

**Poor Warrick!**

* * *

Standing only in his boxer briefs in the middle of his kitchen, he leaned into the fridge and grabbed the orange juice carton. He didn't even realize he was still smiling from the incredible sex he just had with his wife on the couch and floor of their living room.

"_Whooosh_," he made a swooshing sound showing how good it was for him, "_In-fucking-credible_" he mumbled to himself just from the thought of it.

Bringing the carton of orange juice over to the counter he noticed Jules' cell phone sitting on the counter top. Setting the carton down, he looked around surreptitiously and then grinned like a adolescent boy.

Nick still can't help but torture Warrick now that he was in over his head with Trista. He should feel bad about it since he can see Warrick is in a bad place over it, but he feels this childish need to needle him the way he has tortured Nick for years. He knows the best way to make Warrick sick is to tell him how he goes at it with his sister.

_"Payback's a bitch, ain't it, Rick?"_

Giggling like a school boy, Nick picks up Jules' cell phone, and sends a text to Warrick as if it was from Jules and "_meant__" _to be sent to Nick.

"_Oops, sorry Warrick, did I send that to you?"_ he chuckles sarcastically and begins typing.

_**Nick**_

_**Em is sleepin Hurry home!**_

_**i want u 2 rock my world AGAIN**_

_**w/ ur HUGE cock! cant stop thinking**_

_**about how good u are..i want u! **_

_**i need u NOW! Cum home! **_

_**Xoxo Jules**_

Nick could hardly type the text he was laughing so hard; he tried hard to stifle it.

He knew Warrick might actually puke when he reads it.

He also knew Jules will kill him when she finds out but he didn't care. It would be so worth it.

_"Fuck you, Bro, you have tortured me for years…you earned this!" _he whispered under his breath.

And it was true, Warrick really did.

* * *

Warrick had just pulled into his driveway when he heard his phone beep indicating he had a text message. He smiled when he saw it was from his sister. His smile quickly faded and his stomach literally churned when he read it. It wasn't for him at all. She must have accidentally sent it to him instead of to Nick. He felt absolutely nauseous. He felt disgusted. He swore he just threw up in his mouth.

He couldn't type fast enough and he kept wincing from the thought of what she was saying and yelling "Uuuuckkk" out loud in his car.

He knew she was an adult. He knew she and Nick were crazy like that. But for God's sake the thought of them was just gross, not to mention hearing that dirty talk come from his little sister. Jules was his baby and Warrick thought that **if** he did have parents he would rather _**walk in on them **_than hear about Jules getting it on with Nick.

_**WAT THE FUCK IS WRONG W/ U?**_

_**U SENT THIS 2 ME!**_

_**IM SO SICK RITE NOW**_

_**DISGUSTING! **_

_**-W**_

Nick was sucking back a glass of orange juice when he heard her phone beep. He picked up the phone and looked at the text Warrick sent back and he nearly spit his orange juice across the room. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and doubled over laughing as quietly as he possibly could. Once he managed to pull himself together, he deleted Warrick's message to hide it from his wife. As he left the kitchen he gave a "Ha-Haah" Nick Stokes' laugh and strutted up the stairs to take a shower.

"_That's right, Tough Guy, my cock is big and your sister wants it,_" he laughed before singing to himself silently... _""__Ssssuckkkkerrr!"_

* * *

Wearing only a simple blue cotton tank over a white one, Jules was standing in her underwear while blowing out her hair when Nick walked into their room.

"Did I hear you laughing downstairs?" she asked clicking off the blow dryer.

"Oh, yeah, a little, it was nothin'. I was reading something funny in the paper," he smirked inwardly and went into the bathroom.

Jules nodded and shrugged her shoulders before clicking the hair dryer back on and brushing out her hair.

She was completely unaware of the devious behavior her husband had just displayed downstairs. She had no idea that he was getting even with her brother for the years of abuse he endured at the hands of his brother in law.

If she did...

...she would have drowned him while he was in the shower.


	87. Caught

I do not own CSI in any way.

Rated T or M because of dirty text message.

**Fluffy Chapter for my readers who seem to love fluffy chapters.**

**Drama needs to follow soon or else they get boring, don't ya think?**

**Many of you ask for Emma time...I will try to include that too.**

**Some don't want this story to end but I am already at Chapter 86! Yes, 86!  
**

**In this chapter, Nick's devious behavior is revealed. **

**Shame on you, Nick Stokes! Good for ya, Warrick Brown!**

***Writer's Note: My computer is going in for some work...Updates will be slower. Sorry!  
**

* * *

Carrying a case of beer he walked up the driveway to his sister's home. He found himself taking a huge breath and holding it before letting it out once he saw Trista's little sports car. He swallowed hard and shook his worries and his excitement from his head.

Warrick hit the doorbell with his elbow and as he waited for someone to open the door, he suddenly remembered Jules' accidental text message to him and he got repulsed all over again. "_So gross, so fucking disgusting, Baby Girl_," he mumbled.

Jules opened the door and smiled wide at her brother.

"Oooh nice, a case of Sam Adams; Nick is gonna love that!" she said happily, "I'd offer to help you but…well…" she rubbed her stomach that still has not showing much.

Trista came walking up behind Jules as Warrick walked into the hall with the beer.

"Hey Trist," Jules smirked, "...how about you help Warrick carry that case of beer?" she teased.

"**HA**! Yeah, like _**THAT'LL evvvver **_happen," she laughed.

Warrick noticed she was back to her old self again. Back to teasing and sparring with him. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. He just wasn't sure if that meant she was so over it that it was a distant memory. He felt uneasy and he wasn't liking that feeling of insecurity. He wasn't used to it and he didn't like it one bit.

"I don't need either one of your help…especially **YOU**, Baby Girl!" he made a face of disgust at her.

Jules had expected him to say Trista, NOT **_her_**.

"**WHAT**! What did I do? I have an excuse! I'm pregnant!" she said referring to not helping him with the case of beer.

"Uccckk, that makes it worse! Being pregnant is an excuse to not now what you're doing?" he shook his head and rolled his eyes walking past both of them and putting the case of beer on the counter.

Jules looked at Trista confused and she looked back and shrugged. They followed him into the kitchen.

Trista leaned back on the counter and tossed a baby carrot into her mouth and, with her mouth full, said, "See, told ya he's an asshole," she smirked.

"I'm an asshole?" he looked at her.

"Uh huh," she nodded leaning over to grab another carrot from the vegetable platter.

"**YOU **didn't see the text!" he defended.

"**WHAT TEXT?**" Jules said completely confused.

Trista squinted her eyes with confusion too.

"Jules sent you a text that pissed you off? **Sweet**!" she said and then looked over at Jules, "What did you write that has his panties in a knot?"

"I have **NO **idea what he is talking about!" she shook her head, "None!"

"She sent it to **ME **instead of _**NICK! Uckkkk"**_ he shuddered telling Trista.

"_**Warrick! **_I did not sent you **OR **Nick a text! What are you talking about!"

Trista leaned over the counter to grab Jules' cell phone.

Warrick noticed her red shirt creep down and show her cleavage as she leaned on the counter with her elbows and he tried to look away.

Jules was bending over looking for something in the refrigerator not paying all that much attention to either one of them.

"Let's see what the Cry Baby is talking about," Trista said scrolling through Jules' phone.

"I sent her a text back...you'll see it," he said to Trista while opening the top of the case of beer.

"I don't see squat," Trista told him while biting another carrot.

"Well I sent it… and I told her she was fucking disgusting."

Jules whipped around from inside the fridge, "**WHAT**? What did I do?" she laughed at Warrick's obviously being grossed out by it.

Trista pressed the buttons again. "Let meeee looook in the sent box," she said in a sing song tone.

Jules and Warrick stared at her waiting.

"**OHHH. MYYYYYY. GODDDDDD!" **she screeched laughing hysterically. "I don't see Warrick's text but I see _**YOURS**_!" she cackled.

"_**WHAT? What? Read it!**_" Jules demanded.

"Oh, just wait...don't read it yet... let me go get the bag of ice out of the freezer; I sure as hell don't want to hear it again," he said moving past Jules toward the fridge.

Trista couldn't stop laughing long enough to read every line.

_**"Nick, Em is sleepin Hurry home! I want u 2 rock my world w/ ur..." **_Trista bursts out laughing and can barely read the next line.

_**"HUGE CCCOCKKKK!" **_Trista stresses the words "huge cock" and laughs herself to tears at the thought of Warrick getting this message.

Finally, catching her breath she continues...

_**"Cant stop thinking about how good u are..I want u! I need u NOW! Cum home" **_

"AND IT'S SPELLED **C-U-M**…oh that is **GRRREAT**!" she is cackling hard.

"_**WHOA, WHOA, WAAAAIT A MINUTE**_!" Jules screeches just as loud as her best friend's laughter. **"I most certainly did NOT write such a thing!"**

Warrick came back in from the garage carrying a bag of ice and made a grossed out face at his little sister.**  
**

Just then, Nick comes strolling down the hall heading toward the kitchen with Emma sitting perched up on his forearm with her arm wrapped around her father's neck.

The three of them could hear him talking to his daughter about the laughter they heard all the way from upstairs.

"What are they yellin' and laughin' about, Em? What do you think those crazy, cuckoo birds are doing, huh?" he says sweetly to her.

"They is cvazy, Daddy!" she nods.

"They do sound like they are crazy, yes!" he nods and they grin at each other with their faces only inches apart.

Nick and Emma look into the kitchen.

"What's all the commotion down here?" Nick asks standing in the doorway.

"Why is you coo-cood bawds laffin?" Emma asks trying to call them cuckoo birds like her father had said.

He immediately spots the phone in Trista's hand and Jules' mouth hanging open.

Nick tries so hard to hide his sideways smirk. He fails.

All three of them spin their heads to face Nick.

Trista can't stop laughing.

Warrick's face looks repulsed.

Jules looks horrified.

Each of them see his sideways smirk. He looks like a cat a cat who ate the canary.

**"NICKKKK!"** Jules screams and points at him.

Warrick's mouth falls open and he shakes his head realizing his brother in law's prank.

"I swear to God, Bro, if you were not holding my niece right now I would knock you on your ass!" he yelled.

Nick starts to laugh and Emma grins knowing her uncle said a bad word.

_"Uncle Wick said 'ass',"_ she whispered in Nick's ear.

Nick nods at her still with a smirk on his face. _"I heard that too," _he whispers back at her.

"**NIIIICK WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!" **Jules yelled with her face confused.

"Payback is such a b-i-t-c-h, ain't it, Chief?" Nick spelled out the words.

"You are a sick mother…" he stops short of using more bad words.

Trista walks toward Nick and slaps him on the upper arm.

"**THAT was GREAT, Nick…freakin' GREAT!**" she chuckled and reached her hands out to Emma. "Come on, Ems…let's go outside and you can help Ann Testa. put the stuff out on the table."

"Noooo way, Trist! I am not letting her out of my arms!" he laughed holding Emma tighter. "She is my shield, man, no way those two are comin' after me with a little girl in my arms," he laughed harder.

"Got a point," Trista said chuckling, "Stay with Daddy, Em," Trista laughed hard with Nick.

Trista, Nick, and Emma all head outside together.

And Emma remained in her father's arms...

...the **entire **time.


	88. The BBQ

I do not own CSI.

Rated T

**Here is a nice long chapter including many of the things requested.**

**I have some Jules and Nick time.**

**Some Nick and Emma time.**

**Warrick and Trista time, too.**

**I hope this holds you over while my laptop is out for repair.**

**I could use some reviews since I can read them on my phone and then be inspired to write more...**

**Instead of finally ending this very long story.**

**It will have to come to end at some point, right?**

**Until then...read on:**

* * *

The underwater lights of the pool illuminated the pressed concrete walkway around the pool and left a glowing hue above the water. The tiki torches helped light the pathways as well as keep the bugs at bay. The music around them was exactly the kind they liked, it should be since it was their song lists playing throughout the yard. The scene was set with the ambiance of lights and music, but the best part of the BBQ was not the scenery but the friends, food, and drinks that flowed throughout the yard. It was exactly what the CSI, his wife and their friends needed. Jules was right, a BBQ was a great idea to relax and enjoy his day off.

Nick was leaning into her and she could smell the beer on his breath but knew he wasn't drunk yet. But she also knew he was feeling good which meant he would be all over her from this point on. He was always into her but when he had a buzz on, he not only got worse, but he didn't care who was around; he didn't even try to hide it.

Normally, Jules was just as bad as Nick when she was drinking. They definitely were very touchy feely couple which only increased when they had drinks in them. Jules wasn't able to drink so now she was much more aware that his hands were falling from her hips as he talked to her, and slowly feeling their way around to her ass. He began to lean into her closer as his hands blatantly caressed her butt and Jules smiled and laughed at him. She reached behind him and pulled both of his hands off of her ass and moved them back onto her waist.

"You're getting a little frisky huh, Nick?" she laughed quietly at him.

"I'm not doing nothin'," he laughed back getting even closer and his hands moved right back to her ass once again. "I'm just talkin' to my wife," his winked at her; his accent was thicker than usual.

"Oh, then, um, then your hands just happen to be attached to my ass right now in front of all these people walking around here?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Hey," he leaned in closer and the heat of his breath caressed her earlobe, "it could be worse, I could be…" he was about to tell her about something dirty he could be doing but Catherine yelled over from the patio bar.

"**GET A ROOM, NICKY**!" Catherine Willows laughed along with Trista.

Trista downed a shot of tequila and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and said, "Those two are amazing. I mean, look at them, they have been together for like what? Around eight years? And they are still like teenagers in love with each other. I wish that could be me one day but…. It just doesn't happen for most people," she sounded a bit sad but didn't even realize it.

Catherine looked at her, "Yeah? I don't know, I think there is someone for everyone out there. And sometimes we get it wrong a time or two, but Nicky and Jules just happened to find each other and knew to never let go. It is definitely nice to see, I gotta agree with ya there."

Trista nodded. She was definitely feeling the effects of the booze and shots she had been downing for the last couple hours.

And she wanted it that way.

She didn't want to feel.

She didn't want to think.

She didn't want to watch Warrick secretly.

She just wanted to mask it all and alcohol would do the trick.

Catherine took a swig of her beer and looked over at Trista again, "You don't think you will find that perfect someone, Trist?"

Trista squished her nose up a bit and shook her head, "Nah…it's not in the stars for me….and that's okay."

"Well, I happen to think you will. You are smart, beautiful, fun, what's not to love about you?" she smiled.

"Thanks, but…I am not one to settle down. What's that sayin'? So many men, so little time?" she laughed.

She was lying.

She didn't hook up all the time. She didn't date mountains of men. She just didn't want to set herself up for the pain she endured when she had to leave Danny. She just wanted to be left alone. She already knew men were not to be trusted.

Catherine laughed. "Hey, whatever works for ya, right? I'm in the same boat" she laughed.

Warrick was walking toward Nick and Jules wearing only swim trunks.

Catherine yelled over, **"Ahhh yeah lookin' good, Warrick"**

Trista's head spun to see why Catherine said what she said and swallowed hard when she saw Warrick's bare chest. It reminded her of the shirtless night in his kitchen.

_**"Now, I'm thinking that that's sexual harassment, right there!" **_he laughed, walked past Nick and Jules, through the mesh gate, and dove into the pool.

The splash hit Nick and Jules slightly and Nick yelled.

"Whoa, whoa, ya got us wet, man!"

"**Good**, maybe it will cool you off **you sick bastard.**"

Continuing to keep one hand on the small of Jules' back, Nick looked over toward his brother in law in the pool. He started to laugh hard at him knowing why Warrick called him that. Warrick was still pissed that Nick got him good with the fake text. Nick loved it. It was about time he had the last laugh.

Nick yelled over to Warrick, _**"Come home soooooon, Niiiick...rock my worlllld"**_ he said in a girly, sing song voice, tormenting Warrick with a quote from the infamous text.

Nick turned back toward Jules, and while his one hand never moved off her back, his other hand reached out and wiped a few drops of pool water off Jules' cheek and forehead with the side of his thumb.

Jules looked back at him as he wiped her face.

She smirked at him. "I do hate you, ya know that, right?" she shook her head at what he did to Warrick. "Did you have to be so gross?"

"Yep, abso-fucking-lutely!" he laughed.

"You are so disgusting," she smirked.

"Why? Are you telling me I don't have a big cock? And that you don't want it?"

"Shhh!" she smirked and looked around. "**No**, everything you wrote was true, actually," she laughed hard, "but you **still** are horrible."

She smiled at the way he was looking at her.

Tilting her head slightly with an inquisitive look she whispered to him. "You are standing really, realllllly close to me…any closer and I think our bodies will be touching. Is there a reason for that, Stokes?" she reached over and wiped some water from his face too.

"Am I?" he grinned and guzzled down the second half of his beer and then leaned down and put the bottle of beer on a side table. And then, without warning, he wrapped his arms around her waist and bear hugged her off the ground. Jules screamed when he pretended to throw her in the pool.

"**NICKY PLEASSSSSE, NO, NO, NO!"** she begged.

Warrick yelled over, "**DO IT**!"

"Please, Texas, don't listen to him! I promise to get you another beer if you let me go!"

Nick contemplated her offer and then put her down.

"_**Go get me one, Woman!" **_he pointed toward the bar area.

"Don't push it, Cowboy! Don't push it," she laughed and went to get him a beer.

* * *

Trista watched the whole scene. She discretely watched Warrick continue to smack volleyballs over the net in the pool to one of his buddies from the LVPD. She smirked when he encouraged Nick to throw Jules in the pool. She laughed louder than she wanted to and Warrick looked over at her. He gave her a devious grin and Trista smirked.

"**What are YOU laughing at?**" he yelled and headed for the side of the pool.

**"Not much, Freak!**" she yelled back.

"FREAK? Did she just call me a freak?" he asked Jules and Nick.

"That's what I heard," Nick said looking back at Trista smiling.

**"Yep, that's what I said!**" she yelled before turning herself toward the bar and looking for the bottle of tequila.

What she didn't see was Warrick put two hands on the concrete and lifted himself out of the pool with one swoop.

Trista heard people yelling "OOOOH here it comes!" and she looked back to see why.

It was too late. Warrick was already right behind her and picking her up by her waist and throwing her over his shoulder.

"**Don't even think about it, Asshole**!" she screamed.

**"Asshole now? Nice talk…real nice!**" he laughed carrying her all the way to the pool.

"**NO! Don't do it…I'm sorry, I'm sorry….you are a lovely man, I swear!"** she screamed loudly, "**I'm dressed! Don't!"**

"You are not! You are wearing tiny shorts and a bikini top…who are you kidding?" he told her.

Trista had quite a buzz on. She forgot she was indeed in her bikini along with her jean shorts.

_**"I will hate you forever, Warrick!"**_

**"You already do!" **he said and jumped in the pool with her on his shoulder.

Jules shook her head, "Oh God, I cannot watch this…they are gonna fight **all night** now!" she sighed and chuckled.

_"Doubt it,"_ Nick grumbled under his breath.

* * *

**"Warrick, you are fucking dead!"** she screamed and tried to dunk his head under water but he was taller and stronger and she was no match for him.

He held her by her waist and loved the feel of it under his hands. She loved it too but wouldn't allow it to show.

"You think you can dunk me?" he laughed and squeezed her tighter.

Their bodies were flush with one another. Their faces only inches apart.

"Let go of me, Home Boy!"

"Again with the names, Bitch" he said laughing hysterically.

Jules looked at Nick, "See told ya the fighting would begin now. I'm going to go in and check on my girl," she said breaking away from his caress.

Nick was about to tell her to leave Emma alone with Lindsay but he thought maybe it was a good idea if she didn't watch the chemistry flowing between Warrick and Trista. He knew it was there but he could see it more than ever now.

Trista and Warrick wrestled around and laughed as she continued to try and dunk him unsuccessfully.

"Let go off me, Jerk!" she yelled and he finally let her go.

"Volleyball?" he said splashing her slightly.

"I'm in," she said and they looked over to see who would play.

"Young? You in?" Warrick yelled.

"In!"

Wendy Sims pulled off her top and threw it, along with her shorts, onto the deck chair revealing a sexy black tankini.

"I can kick their ass Young…wanna partner?" Wendy yelled and hopped into the pool.

The game went on for quite some time with laughter that filled the yard. Warrick and Trista played and laughed and got along as if there was no more tension between them. And, for that hour, there wasn't any. All there was was a strong friendship…the one they have had for years and masked with fighting.

* * *

Jules came walking out with Emma on her hip dressed in a pink and brown polka dotted bathing suit. Her pig tails bounced as she dangled from her mother's hip.

Nick turned around and saw his girls coming his way and the smile that splashed across his face could be seen a mile away.

"There's my Beauty Queen!" he yelled over and his daughter smiled wide.

Nick walked up to them and took Emma from his arms.

"Heyyyyyy Tiny is in da house!" Warrick yelled from the pool.

Trista smiled, "Hey Emmy! You gonna come in with us?"

Nick put his forehead to Emma's and asked her, "You wanna go in, Munchkin?"

"You come in wif me?" she asked unsure.

"Of course, Emmy, Daddy will take you in. Come on," he said putting her down.

Handing his beer bottle to his wife, he peeled his shirt off and handed it to her too. She smiled at him and he knew she was telling him how sexy she thought he was in his swim trunks and bare chest.

He leaned over and whispered, "And you say I am feelin' frisky? Pot callin' the kettle, Darlin'" he laughed, turned away and held Emma's hand.

Together, he and his daughter walked down the steps at the shallow end of the pool.

"You hold me, Daddy?" she asked.

"Yep, I will hold you," he smiled at her and caught her as she jumped off the steps into his arms. He walked with her over to Trista and Warrick.

"Tiny, you wanna play?" Warrick asked pretending to let her play volleyball.

"I is too little, membaw?"

"Oh yeah, that's right, that's right. It's a hard ball," he nodded.

"She can play with her Daddy though, right my girl?" he told her and threw her up in the air high and caught her, dipping her down into the water just enough to make her laugh and scream.

Trista yelled over to Jules, **"Throw me a beach ball!"**

Jules looked around and Greg Sanders picked one up off the lawn and threw it to Trista. Standing next to Jules, Greg leaned over and said, "Trista is smoking hot, Jules."

"Yeah, she is a pretty girl. Want me to hook ya up?" she smirked.

"I would **LOVE **for you to hook me up!" he nodded.

"Well, I will feel her out for ya, Greg," she nodded back.

"Emma, you can play now, it's a soft beach ball!" Trista told her.

Nick looked at Emma, "Daddy's shoulders?"

Emma smiled, "Us will win, Daddy! Us will wind it!"

Nick tossed his little girl up on his shoulders with ease and yelled, "You guys better watch yourselves, you got a pro up there!" he said about his daughter on his shoulders.

Officer Young and Wendy got Greg to hop in and play to even up the team and they all played together for a while before Emma told her Dad she was done.

"I is tyawd of dis now, Daddy," she said and Nick quickly took her down and cradled her in his arms.

"Should I dunk you, Pretty Girl?" he laughed rocking her back in forth like a cradle.

"You can dunk me, I don't cayah," she smiled at him.

Nick dipped her in a little and then pulled her back up to him. He kissed her face all over and growled into her neck like a dog. He was eating her up and Emma giggled and squealed.

Once Nick was done attacking his daughter with complete enthusiasm, he looked at her and smiled, "You're getting sleepy, Honey, I can see those pretty eyes looking droopy" he smiled noticing them getting tired and pink. "You wanna go upstairs with Lindsay now? I think you played your little heart out, Sweet Pea," he told her.

"I gots my hawt…it's still in dair," she said and patted her chest.

"I know, baby, it's a saying…yes, you're heart is actually still in there," he laughed and called over to Jules.

"Babe, can you get her a towel? She's tired," he said.

Jules held a towel out and as Nick walked up the stairs out of the pool, Jules encased her in a big towel and took him from his arms.

"You have fun, Princess?" she said as she snuggled her in her arms.

"I wind dat game wif Daddy!" she exclaimed and then yawned wide.

"Aww, see she's tired," Nick said and leaned in kissing her forehead. They both knew it was way past her bedtime.

"Kiss Daddy night night," she told her daughter.

Emma grabbed her father's face with both of her tiny hands and kissed him on the lips.

"I love you, Daddy, night night," she said and yawned again, "Me see you in da mawnin, kay?"

"Ok, Emmy, I love you too and I will see you in the morning," he repeated, kissed her again and went to get a towel to dry off.

Jules and Lindsay went inside together to get Emma ready and into bed.

* * *

Warrick looked at Trista, "Damn I am tired too…wanna go night night?" he laughed.

"Yeah, go on up, I'll be right there…_**wait**_ for me," she said sarcastically. "I don't know about you but I'm going to get drunk, see ya, Loser," she said.

"Hold up, I will come too," he said and followed her out, watching her body as she bent over to grab a towel from the pile.

"Get your own, Freak," she snapped and walked away with a towel wrapped around her.

**"See…you are so pleasant!"** he yelled over at her and chuckled to himself.

As he dried himself off he watched her go over to the bar. Seeing her wet hair and in a towel reminded him of their incredible shower sex and it took his breath away just from the memory. "_Fuck…I think I am in love with her."_

_

* * *

_

She felt her heart race when he laughed loudly and yelled out to her sarcastically.

She hated feeling this way.

She hated knowing that suddenly, the things she never noticed before about him were so noticeable now. She hated the realization that she has loved Jules and Warrick as family for years which meant she did love Warrick…she just never knew she could love him on this level. It hadn't crossed her mind and yet now it was **all** that crossed her mind.

But still, she couldn't let it happen.

Trista couldn't risk losing the only family she had left if something went wrong…and of course it would go wrong. How could she cloud that with anything as risky as falling in love with Warrick instead of just loving him. There was a difference…and Trista wanted no part in it…unfortunately, she wasn't sure she had a choice…it already invaded her heart.

But, while it may have invaded her heart, she would make it go away.

She would will it away.

She wasn't going to lose everything for stupidity and recklessness. Because she and Warrick would be just that…

...stupid and reckless.


	89. Deep Thoughts

I do not own CSI.

Rated T - language

**Thanks to my 2 or 3 reviewers...couldn't do it without ya! Sigh.**

**Sending my laptop in tomorrow for repair so...**

**I thought I would give you some fun at the Stokes' BBQ.**

**Have a good time!**

* * *

She laughed and joked with everyone and made sure that everyone was enjoying themselves at the BBQ. And, when everyone seemed to be happy, fed, and having a good time, she decided to sit down and relax. Walking over to the patio chairs, she pulled one out, turned it around to face the backyard, and sat down. She might not be showing a belly all that much but she was getting tired more and more. She hated feeling tired and the dizzy spells that loved to creep up on her when she least expected it.

Sitting down in a chair she watched Nick talking and laughing hard with Greg Sanders and Officers Young and Del Marco.

She loved his laugh. She loved watching him laugh and the sound of his laugh.

She loved when he was having fun. She smiled to herself as she watched him.

She wondered for a minute what they were talking about but didn't feel like getting up to find out. She figured it was between him and his friends and really not her business.

* * *

Nick and Greg were laughing about the stupid shit Ecklie had said during a meeting and they mocked him mercilessly. Nick noticed Sal Del Marco's and Greg Sander's head turn when he saw Trista pass by them and head for the bar. He knew that look; he knew Greg was blatantly checking her out and Officer Del Marco was scanning her body with his eyes. Nick took a swig of his beer and sure enough, Greg Sanders began talking about her.

"Nick, man, I'm telling you, Trista is so friggen hot," Greg told him.

"Yeah," Nick nodded, "...she is a good lookin' girl," he agreed.

"Are you blind, Stokes? She ain't just good lookin'! She is smokin'!" Sal told him.

Kevin Young smirked and chimed in, "I may be married but, um, damn, Stokes, your wife has the hottest friends I have ever seen!" he shook his head adamantly.

"Not as hot as she is, Young" he teased and took a gulp of his beer again.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, Nick... Spoken like a true sap," Greg chimed in and teased.

"Don't you start now, Sanders, I'm warning ya now," he laughed, "It's bad enough I take shit from her brother," he smirked knowing how he has finally gotten the upper hand.

He looked over at Trista as the two men spoke about her. He squinted his eyes and watched her watching Warrick. He realized then that she did care very much about that one night with him. It wasn't a one sided thing. She was just hiding her true feelings. Nick felt saddened about that. He wanted them both happy and much to his surprised he believed they might just make a good team.

"Nick, are you listening to me?" Greg pushed his arm, "I want you to hook me up with Trista."

"Whoa, whoa, if you need help getting hooked up, Sanders, then you just don't have a shot," Sal Del Marco informed him, "...and let me tell ya something, ya might as well give it up because I am making my move on her tonight!" he laughed.

"_**WHAT**_? Oh no, no, I don't think that is a good idea," he shook his head and as he did he noticed Jules sitting alone in the patio chair. "Not for either one of ya!" he said while still looking his wife's way.

She smiled at him.

He began to walk to her with concern but turned to say one last thing to Greg and Sal.

"Guys, it ain't a good idea, that's all I'm sayin'. Let me go see what's up with my wife," and he turned and walked away.

Officer Kevin Young laughed, "Nick's got the right idea, I'm outta here too!" and he turned to head back to the pool.

* * *

Jules watched him walk toward her with a bottle of beer in his hand.

"Hey Sunshine, what's the matter? You okay?" he squatted down in front of her and rubbed her belly as he spoke.

"Are my boys starting to make you tired?" he grinned.

"Your **BOYS**? You mean your _**daughters**_?" she laughed.

"Whatever," he laughed, "You okay?"

"Yeah, no I'm good. I am just taking a rest," she told him.

"Stop doing so much, Baby. I'm serious. You are running around making sure everything is out on the tables, drinks are full, towels are folded,…leave it alone. These are our friends; they'll get their own shit."

Jules nodded.

"You listen to your all knowing husband, got it? **I demand it**," he smirked.

She knew he was teasing her.

"Oooooh, demand it huh?" she raised her eyebrow.

She reached out her hand and stroked the side of his face.

"I love you, my big barbarian," she smiled.

Nick leaned in and kissed her tiny pot belly. Jules rubbed the back of his hair as he did.

"Go hang with your friends, Cowboy," she said, "I demand you to," she grinned at him when he looked back up at her.

Nick stood up, leaned in and kissed her softly, "Okay, let me know if you want me."

"Oh c'mon, Texas, I ALWAYS want you," she smiled.

"You know what I mean," he chuckled at her.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. And I will let you know if i need anything," she told him as he nodded, turned away and walked over to Trista.

Jules checked out his ass as he walked away.

He knew it but he let it slide without teasing her as he usually does. He just laughed softly to himself and secretly loved it.

* * *

As she watched him Jules' thoughts began to wander.

She thought about how she went to the store to buy all the food and get things together for the BBQ. She thought about what happened...

Jules was taking to her daughter as she strolled down the grocery store aisle with Emma sitting in the cart seat in front of her.

"And Lindsay will come and play with you tonight upstairs…would you like that, Em?"

"I is goin' to the pawty too?" she squinted and tilted her head.

"You can, sure! You can for a little while and then you probably would rather go upstairs with Lindsay and watch movies and eat popcorn, right?" she said in a sweet voice.

"Yep!" Emma smiled wide. "I can get some now?" she asked.

"Yes, you can get the popcorn now," Jules said and reached over and grabbed the microwave popcorn box off the shelf.

When Jules turned she was startled by a woman who seemed to be watching her. She noticed her in the dairy aisle a few minutes ago but thought nothing of it, but this time she lingered a little longer and Jules felt this weird feeling come over her and she didn't know why.

Jules smiled at her softly and kept moving.

In the frozen foods aisle Jules held the cart handle tightly as she leaned into the freezer to grab a bag of frozen French fries. When she turned she saw the woman again staring at her and Emma. The woman looked familiar but Jules was sure she never met her before. Normally she wouldn't even care or notice but it was that weird feeling that freaked her out most of all.

Suddenly, the woman spoke to her.

"I'm sorry to stare," the woman smiled, "your daughter reminds me of my little girl when she was young…she is beautiful."

"Oh, oh, thanks, that is very nice of you," she smiled and continued to walk down the aisle feeling uneasy for no reason at all.

The woman followed getting her items and putting them in her own cart.

"How old is she?" the woman asked.

"I is gonna be free!" Emma proclaimed proudly holding up her three tiny fingers.

Jules gave a slight smile. "She will be three."

"Well you are a getting to be a very big girl!" she spoke directly to Emma.

Emma smiled wide, showing her deep dimples as she did.

"I see you have dimples like your mommy!" she said.

"My Daddy has dem too! Mommy says I look like my Daddy, right? You say dat, right?" she said to her mother with delight.

"Yes, yes you do, Honey," she answered continuing to move.

"Well, I can see you look like your Mama, too…I think it's the smile and those dimples," the woman said, "My little girl had dimples too! And I have dimples… so I guess she got them from me…just like you got them from your mommy," she explained.

Emma touched her dimples as she smiled.

"Us is havin' a bah-bick-koo tonight!" she said excitedly, "I, I is goin' too, right, Mommy?"

Jules nodded with apprehension.

"Well you have a good time, Emma," she said and moved down the aisle.

"Wait," Jules called over to her, "how did you know my daughter's name?" Jules asked with confusion.

"You have been talking to her," she laughed, "And I heard you call her Emma…which is a very pretty name, I might add," she smiled and left the aisle.

Jules took a deep breath. "_Damn, Jules, you are getting jumpy, aren't ya," _she thought to herself.

Jules grabbed a few more items and immediately checked out. She had a keen sense that she learned to follow since she lived in the rough side of the city. She always listened to it, even though this time she knew it had to be her pregnancy hormones which had proven to be out of , none the less, she checked out quickly and left.

Jules bit the inside of her cheek as she thought about that woman. She wondered why it startled her. It wasn't abnormal for someone to tell her how cute her daughter was or be nice to her in the grocery store. It was just weird. Something was weird but she didn't know why. It was something about that woman that was familiar, something about her that made Jules wonder where she had seen her before.

Taking a deep breath and leaning her head against the chair, Jules decided she was out of her mind with hormones and thought to herself,

_"Oh God, it's gonna be a lonnnnng pregnancy if I am already starting to get paranoid and crazy."_

* * *

Trista threw back another shot as Nick walked up to her.

"Hey, Ann Testa, pounding those drinks, huh?" he smiled.

She shrugged.

Why are you alone over here?" Nick asked her.

"Well, Stokes," she slurred, "I am alone over here because I wanna be."

"You wanna be alone?" Nick squinted and tilted his head, "Should I be insulted?" he grinned.

"No, no, I just meant I like being alone…I am destined to be alone… that's all I'm sayin'…wanna shot?" she said and poured two.

"God no, you know what they say…'beer before liquor'…" he nodded.

"Loser," she laughed back and did her shot.

"You better eat or your gonna get sick, I can promise you that," he told her. "Are you going back in the pool? Warrick is back in there," he mentioned.

She nodded and looked toward the pool as Warrick howled that he missed the shot.

"I don't care what Warrick does…" she slammed another shot.

"Well, you two were having a lot of fun…why are you not playing volleyball again?"

"God, I don't know, Stokes! I might go in later. I don't know. Maybe…maybe not.

Nick nodded.

She sighed.

Nick took a gulp of his beer and then leaned in closer to her ear and whispered, "_I know about it."_

Trista whipped her head toward him. "Excuse me?"

"I know…about you and Warrick…I know about it..,.**and no**, Jules does **not **know."

"But…" she said and swallowed hard.

Her throat tightened.

Nick chugged of his beer, reached around the bar, grabbed another from the cooler, and continued .

"I was on the steps when you told him you are 'over it' and that it was just one night. I heard you but ya know what, Darlin'? I don't believe you. And I also don't think you should walk away," he said and popped the top off his beer.

"What do you know…you just got lucky," she scoffed.

Nick jerked his head back confused. "I got lucky?"

She smiled at the way that sounded.

"You and Jules…it's like the lottery…rarely happens. One in a billion actually."

"Hmmm, I didn't know you knew the statistics, Trista. Interesting. Wrong, but interesting."

"Whatever, it's no big deal. We slept together. Period the end."

"I think he could be in love with you," he said softly, staring directly at her before swigging his beer from the bottle.

"Pfft, oh please," she twisted her mouth and shook her head, "Warrick loves no one but himself," she looked away from Nick's stare.

"I happen to know that isn't true. And even if it was…it changes when you find the right one. Warrick didn't want me with his sister for that reason…because I was not one to settle down but ya know what…**she **changed me," he lifted his beer bottle toward Jules who was in deep thought sitting in the chair.

Trista shrugs unimpressed. "Yeah well, congratulations, buddy, you are one of the very few to have that happen. Seriously."

"Trista, what if…what if…I don't know, I never thought I would even be suggesting such a thing but you and Warrick…I don't know. Maybe you two have always had a connection? You two are close. Yeah, you fight but it's all a show…deep down you have always helped each other out…you drop everything for each other…doesn't that tell you anything?"

Trista felt herself choke up. She remembered how he came to get her at the bar at 3:00 in the morning when she was trashed and had no taxi. She thought about how he came and pushed her car out of the mud when it got stuck by the docks. She thought about how he hooked up her computer when she couldn't get it to work. She smiled inwardly thinking about how he went with her to Texas for Jules and Nick's wedding and they sat together on the plane with Brett. And, while it was true they fought about everything from the window seat to who gets the armrest, they had laughed a lot all the way there. And then, she thought about how he came and took her stuff out of her and Danny's townhouse. And that thought alone almost made her sober up. The thought of Danny made her remember why there was no use in looking into anything resembling a relationship. No. It was done.

"Ya know what, Stokes? Don't quit your CSI job, all right? You're really good at it…Matchmaking? Not so much."

Trista didn't mean to sound so flippant. It came out wrong. It came out like she had too much to drink and…she did.

Nick looked over and saw Sal Del Marco coming up to them.

"_Oh no," _Nick sighed silently and chugged nearly his whole beer at once,

_"Oh no this will not be good."_


	90. Have A Shot

I do not own CSI or their characters.

Rated T for language.

**Laptop repaired & back where it belongs! Which means...**

**I have another chapter for you!**

**The reviews are nearly nonexistent aside from the thoughtful and appreciated reviewers...THANK YOU!**

**I am losing steam for where I want to take this story. **

**I need your reviews, not for ideas but the uplifting and to cheer me on. I need that to get my confidence up to write. **

**I'd like to hear what parts you like of my story and if you want to see more of it.**

**Hmmmmm...  
**

**Are you getting tired of Nick and Jules? Do you need more Warrick & Trista? Will there even BE a Warrick & Trista? **

**Hmmm, we shall see.**

**We still have twins to deliver or will I let you imagine what they have on your own and not end it with a birth...just the anticipation of a birth.**

**REVIEW!**

* * *

Once the pool became crowded with a few more people, Warrick decided it was time to get out. He grabbed one of the neatly folded towels that were in piles on a deck chair. As he dried off at the entrance of the pool fence he looked over and spotted Nick, Trista, and Sal Del Marco talking by the patio bar hut. He rubbed the towel over his face a few times and when he looked over again he noticed that the young LVPD Officer was getting awfully touchy and flirty with Trista.

"_Don't tell me you are making a fuckin' move on her, Del Marco," _he frowned and thought silently.

He could feel the annoyance creeping in at just the sight of another man looking at her in that way.

"_Oh my God, Warrick, are you seriously getting jealous of someone checking out Trista?" _he said silently while shaking his head disgusted with himself yet again.

Still, he found himself unable to refrain from looking away.

* * *

Nick glanced over at Warrick and could tell that his best friend was noticing every move Sal made on Trista. He didn't know how to diffuse the situation so he talked a mile a minute to distract them. Sal finally shot him a dirty look as if to say he was such a 'cock block'.

Trista looked over and saw Warrick staring as he dried himself off with a towel. She felt her heart leap and her stomach drop. He looked so sexy glistening with water. His face looked so hot and yet so jealous. She felt a tinge of sadness that she would never be able to be with him. She thought about what Nick had said. She played it over in her mind at that instant "_I think he could be in love with you. You two have always dropped everything for each other…doesn't that tell you something?" _

Watching him hang the towel over the pool fence and walk toward her made her suddenly want to run. She wanted to get out of there and not feel anything for Warrick. She wanted to chase him away to run him off. She couldn't get hurt again; especially not from someone she cared so much about and someone who was a huge part of her life…huge part of her family. No, she had to stop these feelings. She had to do them both a favor. And so, without thinking about how much alcohol she had already consumed, she sucked back yet another shot.

Nick shook his head as he watched Trista trying to hide her feelings with more alcohol. He also shook his head because he noticed Greg Sanders heading back to the patio bar to join them again. He took a deep breath and wondered how Warrick would feel seeing both men fall all over Trista right in front of him.

* * *

Warrick never thought it was possible. He never thought it was possible with **anyone **never mind possible with the girl he has known, fought with, and teased for many years, but there he was feeling jealous. Feeling intense attraction. Feeling something in his heart that his head couldn't quite understand. And there he was feeling his feet heading over to step in between her and the hopeful intentions of Greg Sanders and Sal Del Marco.

He knew he didn't have a leg to stand on. He couldn't go over there and demand them both to step aside. She wasn't his girlfriend. Hell, she didn't even want him. And yet, his feet refused to listen and they took him right over to the patio bar where they all stood.

"Hey, what's up," was all Warrick could say.

Nick nodded upward at him before taking another swig of beer.

Greg leaned around the bar to grab another drink.

Sal stared at Trista in awe.

And Trista looked back at Warrick.

"Hey back," she said.

"What's up, Rick?" Greg said a bit bummed out that there was yet another person standing in the way of his conversation with Jules' best friend Trista.

"Nothin' but I could use a drink," Warrick said.

"Beer?" Nick asked ready to grab one.

Warrick was about to say "yes" but Trista interrupted.

"Nah, you want a shot dontcha, Tough Guy? I wanna see you fall flat on your face tonight," she mocked him.

"Hah! I can drink you under the table, Little Girl!"

"Keep dreaming, Home Boy," she laughed knowing it was true; she just didn't care.

In fact, she wanted to get drunk and pass out and forget he was even there.

Nick sighed loudly wanting to tell them he didn't think this was a good idea but he figured it was their business and he wasn't about to stick his nose in it.

And so, he pushed the bottle of Tequila across the bar and shrugged his shoulders.

"Make it three," Sanders said.

"Make it four," Del Marco added smirking back at Greg.

Warrick looked over at them thinking he would like to tell them both to not even think about making a move on Trista.

Instead, he kept his cool and his dignity and said nothing.

Nick's face grimaced as he looked at Trista, "Trista, seriously, I know I should shut up and mind my own business, but…you are gonna get sick, Honey," Nick tried to warn her.

"Hit it, Stokes," she smiled and handed him her shot glass.

"Nah, _**no way**_, I'm not involved in this anymore. I am done; it's all on you guys," he laughed refusing to pour her another shot. Instead he turned to go talk with Catherine who was sitting at the patio table talking with Detective Vartann.

Trista looked back at Warrick.

"Okay, let me just tell you now, CSI Brown," she pointed at him, "…I am **not **listening to CSI Stokes over there, and **I will **continue to drink… " she slurred not realizing she hadn't addressed Greg or Sal, "**BUT**, if I don't go pee **right now **I will never make it there, so I call a **time out**!"

Without another word, Trista scurried off to the house.

* * *

"Man, Warrick, that girl is a babe," Greg said.

Officer Del Marco made a swoosh sound in agreement.

"Both of ya, do me a favor, all right? Stay away from her," he said wishing he didn't.

"What? Why? She doesn't have a boyfriend…Jules told me she would put in a good word for me," Greg nodded emphatically.

Sal Del Marco looked over at Greg, "She did? You are **such **a Loser, Sanders," he rolled his eyes.

"Leave her alone…Just trust me…she isn't for you guys," he said and walked off without another word.

Warrick wasn't exactly lying...she wasn't for them...she was for him instead.

And so...

...he went to find her.

000000000000


	91. Closing Doors

I do not own CSI dammit.

Rated M for mature theme.

**Well since you waited awhile for my laptop to return AND I had an awesome 'feel good' review...**

** I decided to write you another chapter.**

**In this chapter Warrick goes looking for Trista. **

**He isn't sure why since she told him she wasn't interested but he just can't seem to help it.**

**How does Trista feel about that? Well, read on and find out...**

**REVIEW, I BEG OF YOU!**

* * *

Trista was in the bathroom washing her hands when she looked up and in to the mirror. She laughed at her reflection knowing she was drunk. But she was a good drunk. She handled her liquor well and she wasn't sloppy…at least not yet.

She wiped her face with her hands and fluffed up her damp hair before walking out.

Opening the door, she nearly banged into Warrick.

"**_Shit, you scared me!_**" she jumped.

"Sorry," he said and just stared at her.

"What! Are you following me now, Warrick?"

"No! Well, yeah... yeah, I guess," he smiled shamefully.

"Why? Why are you doing this?"

"I don't know, Trist, I can't help it," he said as he moved closer and closer to her.

Trista backed up with each step Warrick took until they were both in the bathroom completely.

Warrick reached his hand back and closed the door.

Trista stared at him frozen. She wanted to run out of the bathroom but she couldn't do it. She felt his large hands hold her small hips and she felt him pull her close to her. He surprised her though. Warrick didn't kiss her passionately. He didn't yank her into a heated kiss like the other times. Instead he leaned in and he hugged her. He hugged her tightly wrapping both arms around her and resting his face into her hair. She could smell the chlorine on him and she felt his soft skin as her face pressed against his chest.

"I can't get you out of my head…I want to but... I just can't," he said with sadness as he hugged her. "Tell me…please, Trista, I am begging for a shot here," he said with his face against her head.

Trista might have been drunk when she walked into that bathroom but she was sobering up fast as he held her tight and begged for a chance with her. She suddenly wanted to cry. She was shaking inside. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to tell him the two of them were worth a shot. Instead, she hugged him back for a few more seconds before she pushed away.

"Warrick, it won't work, okay?" she looked at him.

"You don't know that!"

"Yes, actually I do."

"HOW? How could you possibly know if you don't give it a shot. If we don't go out together alone. Get some dinner, go to a movie…just spend real time together?"

"No, Warrick, I'm sorry."

"How do you know if you don't give it a try, Trist!"

"I know because," she took a deep breath and then lied, "I know because I'm not interested in you, Rick, not now, not ever, I'm so sorry," she said and tore out of the bathroom and scurried down the hall and up the stairs passing Jules on the way up.

"Hey, where you headed?" Jules said baffled by her desperation.

"My shorts are wet," was all Trista could think of as she kept going up the stairs. The truth was she was going to cry and she had to get out of view.

"Oh, ok, go in my room and grab something of mine, but be quiet in the hall…Em's asleep," she said and headed downstairs.

Trista headed right into Jules and Nick's bedroom and closed the door. She leaned against it and took in large breaths to try and calm down. She could feel the alcohol getting to her harder now.

_"Not a good time to kick in Mr. Tequila," _she whispered talking to herself.

Finally she walked away from leaning against the door and over to the edge of the bed. Trista sat down and clenched the puffy comforter in each fist.

_"Don't you cry, don't you fucking cry, Trista!" _she whispered and breathed in and out hard. _"You can't do it, do you hear me? It will not work. It will only end up badly. You will lose everything...him, Jules and Nick, too. NO! You will not ruin the only family you have. Do you hear me?" _

Trista's heart wanted him so bad. She knew when he hugged her so tightly that he meant what he said. She knew he felt something deep for her but she couldn't let him feel it. She couldn't let herself feel it either. She knew when he didn't accost her lips with his that maybe he really wasn't in it for the amazing sex. Maybe, just maybe, they really did love each other on a whole new level now. The love they had might have just gone from platonic to a whole other level.

"_NO! Do you hear yourself you drunken bitch! Stop it! You want to lose it all? Your best friends? Emma?" _

When she said Emma she sucked in her air and winced.

Just thinking about not being a part of that little girl's life made her put her face in her hands and start to cry. It was a a few tears at first but then she let herself cry harder.

And then, she straightened herself up and went into Jules' bathroom, closing the door slightly. She stood in front of the mirror and stared at her reflection before turning on the water and splashing some on her face. Trista opened the vanity drawer, took our Jules' make up case, and fixed her face back up.

_"You told him you weren't interested. You made it clear. Now stick to it. Stop acting immature and reckless, Trista. Grow up and find yourself someone to just hook up with and forget about this love nonsense. It doesn't exist. Stop it. Go talk to that Del Marco guy…. He is cute and he is someone to keep your bed warm if you want," _she told her reflection.

Her reflection answered her back, "_But I **don't** want to sleep with anyone. I just pretend to do that. It isn't me. It isn't who I am." _

She took a deep breath.

"_Then kiss the guy. Make out with him. Give him a blow job but stay the fuck away from Warrick Brown!" _Trista frowned.

She stared at herself for a few seconds silently and then answered her reflection again.

_"No. You're drunk. You are talking stupid. Just keep away from Warrick. There is no way you are going to use one of Nick's friends….even if he would like it if you did. There was no way I am compromising myself just because I want to make Warrick get away from me. No. I won't do it…not drunk…not sober_," she said adamantly to herself.

She took in a large breath of air and let it out slowly before whispering...

_"I just have to forget about Warrick and that's that."_

* * *

Nick walked into his kitchen and grabbed a spatula off the counter. As he turned to walk back outside and to the grill he noticed Warrick standing alone, leaning against the closed bathroom door, just staring into space.

"You waiting for the bathroom, Bro? Go use the one upstairs," Nick suggested.

"No, no one is in there. I was just thinking," he said quietly.

"Oh no, aw shit," Nick said knowing this wasn't good.

Warrick shook his head sadly and looked at Nick, "Trista…ugh man, I don't know. Did she bolt outside?"

"Oh, uh," he looked behind him through the sliders, "I guess, I don't know, yeah, I think so," Nick said assuming she did.

"Well, I…ya know what, it ain't worth talkin' about," he sighed and walked toward the counter resting his elbows down, "Hey, listen, I need to change….I cant stand this wet bathing suit anymore…do I have anything here?"

"Yeah, go upstairs and change…but Emma is sleeping so be quiet. You have shit you left here that Jules put away in my bottom drawer of my dresser. I think it's shorts and shirt…" Nick informed him and then turned to walk outside.

Suddenly he stopped and pointed the spatula directly at Warrick, "**...and don't even think about touchin' my fuckin' underwear," **he said seriously.

"Trust me, I won't!" Warrick said with attitude.

"Oh that's right," Nick said as he was closing the glass door.

And then Nick leaned back in and said to him, "Yeah, I guess you wouldn't be able to fit into them anyway…my underwear are much bigger…in order to cover **my enormous COCK!**" he laughed hard and closed the door shut.

"_Fuckin' asshole," _Warrick grumbled remembering that disgusting text.

* * *

Warrick sneaked up the stairs quietly like Nick asked in order to stay clear of waking his niece. He walked into his sister's bedroom and closed the door behind him. He then went straight for Nick's dresser. Opening it slowly he saw a pair of shorts and a pair of boxers but no shirt. He opened Nick's drawer and grabbed one of his t-shirts. He was just about to pull down his swim trunks when he heard someone talking quietly in the bathroom. He tilted his head and walked over to the bathroom opening the slightly closed door slowly.

He saw Trista. She was talking to reflection. He heard her say: "_I just have to forget about Warrick and that's that."_

He stared at her for a minute before talking to her.

"Why?" he asked making her jump.

"God, Warrick! Can't I have any privacy?" she complained and turned to face him.

"I'm sorry…this time I'm innocent. I came up to change. Why are you up here?" he said as she stood in her bathing suit with her wet shorts on the vanity counter.

"Same reason," she said quietly and began to walk out of the bathroom.

Walking past him through the doorway she went to Jules' closet and grabbed a cute yellow, cotton, pull-on, tube top dress that would be perfect to dry out in. Turning around to go back into the bathroom their eyes locked.

"You never answered me, Trist,"

"What Warrick? What!" she said exasperated.

"Why do you have to forget about me? Why are you pretending you don't even think of me?"

"_**Because I don't!"**_

"Really? Bullshit. Then you wouldn't have just said that!"

"Warrick, please. Just stop looking to find something to change my mind, okay?"

She shook her head and looked away; she could feel the liquor getting to her. She needed to hurry up and get herself dressed.

She walked past him to go back into the bathroom and he held her arm.

She looked at him and her heart hurt. It actually hurt. She wished it could be different but it couldn't be; she knew that.

"Listen to me, I **know **you feel it," Warrick said softly.

"You don't know shit," she said as her throat tightened.

"Please, Trista...please...Let me...I promise you, if you just give me a..." Warrick didn't get a chance to finish his request because Trista yanked her arm away from him and snapped at him.

She just couldn't take it anymore; it was too much push and pull going on in her head.

_**"FINE! FINE! You are right…you were the best fuck I ever had. I would love to have it again, okay?" **_she growled._** "Is that what you want to hear? You want me to be one of your Honeys, Warrick? You want to play me too? You want another shot at fucking me? Isn't that the challenge you love? Fine…here ya go!"**_ she says loudly.

Trista pulls the string on her bikini top and lets it fall down. She reaches behind her and pulls open the back letting her wet top fall to the floor. She stands with her breasts naked in front of him. She violently sticks her thumbs on the sides of her bikini bottom and begins to yank them down.

"**Whoa! Whoa! TRISTA! No**!" he says and moves toward her.

He grabs her hands and pulls them off her bottoms. "**Don't**…"

"Why not? I just told you…we can fuck again…it was great then…it'll be great now," she said out of sheer confusion and frustration.

The liquor mixed with her emotions, the push-pull of her thoughts, her attraction for him and her genuine feelings were making her crazy. She had had enough and wanted to not care. She wanted to be numb.

Trista reached up and wrapper her arms around his neck. She pulled him into a kiss and slammed her bare breasts against his bare chest.

Warrick's first instinct was to grab her hard and hold her tight. His hands slid to her ass and he caressed it passionately.

Trista guided him over to the bed. She threw herself backward onto the mattress and Warrick began to crawl over her with a blazing erection that could be seen pressing against his swim suit. He began to kiss her neck with passion.

Trista moaned and grinded herself into him.

Warrick's hands slid around her soft skin and then he heard it.

He heard her voice in his head…"_You want me to be one of your Honeys? You want to play me too? Fine…here ya go!"_

And then …he stopped. He knelt up with his knee on the bed and his other foot on the floor.

"What? Why'd ya stop, Tough Guy?" she said fiercely with numbed pain on her face.

Warrick knew… This was not Trista. This was her armor. This was her trying to harden herself against him. She was giving him what she thinks is all he really wants. But he knew this wasn't what Trista really wanted at all. And he knew it wasn't all he wanted either.

He wasn't sure if it was the liquor making her act this way or if she was finally just giving up to prove that she was nothing more than a Honey to him. But that wasn't true either. He didn't want that. She was not someone he just wanted as a challenge. She was more than someone he just wanted to sleep with. She was nothing like a Honey to him. "_No. I won't do this to her. Not drunk…not sober…I don't want it to be only about that."_

"Get up, Trista…you are not a 'Honey' to me. You are not someone I just want to fuck, do you hear me?" he said adamantly.

Trista propped herself up on her elbows, her dark hair flowed down and her bare breasts seductively stared at him.

"What's the matter, Warrick? Can't get it up?"

"Trista, stop it. I know you better, you are not fooling me," he said and held out his hand to her.

"What? It's what you want isn't it? Isn't this what you are after, Big Man?" she squinted with sadness.

Warrick took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He felt the sadness he caused.

She continued, "You can just stop the '_I have feelings for you' _bullshit now, okay? Ya wanna fuck me again? **Good, here ya go! Let's get it over with! Just fuck me and then you can leave me alone, okay?**" she said and her voice cracked showing her vulnerability.

"Take my hand, Trista, take it," he opened his eyes back up and stared at her.

**"WHY? Why?**" she said as tears began to pool in her eyes.

"Get up, Trista," he said and leaned down and took her hand for her.

He pulled her up to her feet and grabbed her, pulled her to his chest, and held her tight.

He just held her and he felt her begin to soften in his arms. He knew she wanted to cry. He could feel it. He could see it in her eyes, she was on the verge. But he knew her, she wouldn't dare let him see her cry. She rarely ever had in all the years he knew her.

"Go away, Warrick…" she pushed away from him. "I'm really sorry, okay? I don't…I don't want you, but you just won't stop," she said with visible tears in her eyes. "I know **who **you are…I know **what you do**…and I'm okay with that," she looked at him with sad eyes and continued, "The reason is…you... you are just NOT what I want so **please**…just leave me alone…just be **my friend** and stop trying to bang me again," she pleaded with lies she never knew she had in her.

Warrick stood stunned.

He never meant to hurt her or upset her.

He was floored and he felt terrible.

"I will leave you alone, Trista. I am so, so sorry I upset you…I just…I want you to know one thing before I leave you alone, okay?" he held her shoulders and continued, "I want you to know that I **did not** chase you just to sleep with you. I** didn't** give you any bullshit lines. I _**meant**_ what I said. I do have feelings for you but...but I hear you now," he nodded looking directly into her eyes, "I am sorry I didn't believe you before. You don't want me…I get it now...you just want it to be the way it has always been... and don't worry, it will not ruin our friendship…I hear you now, I'm sorry I pushed you," he whispered, turned away from her and, with a heavy heart, he grabbed his spare clothes and left the room, closing the door behind him.

He went into the hall bathroom, quietly closed the door, and then sat on the edge of the tub. He stared out at nothing at all. He just felt numb. He felt sad for Trista. He felt heartache for himself. A heartache he never felt before. He hated it.

He hung his head and looked down at the ceramic tile beneath his bare feet. He had pushed her too hard and he hadn't meant to. He truly thought she was interested and just wouldn't admit it. But seeing how badly he made her feel, how uncomfortable he made her feel, made him realize he had to leave her alone. He was not being fair. He wasn't accepting her rejection like a man. He shook his head sadly. He wasn't used to this. He hated it do much.

_"If this is what loving someone feels like then forget it. I don't want it either," _he whispered to himself.

Inside Nick and Jules' bedroom, Trista pulled on the little cotton tube top dress and hung her bikini top on the shower door. She left her damp bikini bottoms on.

She took a deep breath and continued to wipe away the tiny tears that kept sneaking down her cheeks. When she felt composed enough, she left the room, went straight downstairs, down the hall, through the kitchen and out the sliding glass doors to the yard…where she walked up to the bar, grabbed the bottle of Tequila and went and sat down...

...all by herself.


	92. Leave it Behind

I do not own CSI.

Rated T for language.

**See what happens when I get great, encouraging reviews? I write more!**

**Take a minute and let me know what you like about my writing...PLEEEEZE.**

**When Trista makes up her mind she is not one to give in. **

**She is tough. She always has been.**

**She will remove herself from the situation if she has to...she will not let Warrick break her down.**

**She said 'No' and she meant it. **

**She will NOT be with Warrick Brown.**

**Right?**

* * *

Nick saw her come out the sliding glass doors looking terribly flustered and upset. He immediately knew. He knew that she just had some kind of altercation with Warrick. His stomach sank when he saw her head for the bar. He watched as she grabbed the bottle of tequila and walk to the lawn chair that was farther back in the yard. _"Not even a shot glass, Trista? It's that bad now?_" Nick mumbled feeling upset for her._ "No way, uh uh,"_ he shook his head,_"there is no way I am gonna let you do this…I don't care,"_ he said silently storming directly over to her.

Nick walked up behind Trista sitting in her chair, leaned over her shoulder and grabbed the bottle of tequila that she had heading for her lips, right out of her hands. It startled her; she hadn't seen him come up behind her.

**"HEY!" **she growled and turned to look at whomever it was that swiped the bottle out from under her.

"Hey nothin'! You are not going to make yourself sick, Trista!"

"Mind your own business, Stokes…worry about your wife."

"Nah, no way, I am not gonna mind my own business! I care way too much about you to watch you drown yourself in tequila. I can't watch you get yourself so plastered you will pass out cold or puke your guts up. I don't know what has you this upset but friends don't watch each other hurt themselves, sorry but NO."

"Fine, Nick…you know best right? You know how to save the world…it's what you do!" she said standing up from her chair.

Nick could see the sadness and defensiveness in her eyes.

"Yea, I save the world and I know what's best…I guess so if that means I am taking this away from you," he raised his eyebrows and shrugged never losing his calm or his insistence.

"Whatever, Superman," she snipped at him and turned and stormed off into the house.

* * *

Jules looked up in time to see Trista getting mad at Nick. She squinted her eyes with confusion. She knew Trista was pretty drunk but it wasn't like Nick to get in her face. She got up from her chair and walked over to where Nick stood alone with a bottle of tequila in his hand.

"You doing shots now, Cowboy?" she tilted her head inquisitively as she asked.

"Nah, not me. I'm sticking to beer," he told his wife without going into detail.

"What was that about?" Jules cut right to the chase.

"Aw, she's mad at me because I took her tequila away. She's gonna get sick, Babe…I can see it coming," he told her.

"Well, it must be bad if you stepped in," she shrugged trusting his opinion.

"Oh yeah, she was about to drown herself in a tequila bottle."

"Huh," she furrowed her brow and looked over to see where her best friend went, "I wonder what has got her to a place where she wants to get that drunk?" she wondered.

Nick sighed but offered no information.

"Come on, Darlin', I need to go flip some more burgers," he smiled at her dodging any more questions.

"Ohhh good because I am starving."

* * *

Trista stormed back inside passing Warrick on the way down the hall.

"Where you going?" he asked confused.

"I forgot something upstairs but it's really none of your business now is it?" she quipped.

"Whoa…well okay then," he shook his head and kept walking.

Trista didn't care about how nasty she just got with Warrick. She was already in numb mode. She was already hardened and it was exactly where she had wanted to be. She headed into Jules' bedroom and straight to the bathroom. She pulled open the drawer, grabbed the make up case again and put on ever more. She found some mousse, put it through her hair and scrunched it up allowing the waves to frame her pretty face.

She stared at herself and then turned to the side to see how she looked all around.

She walked out and over to the phone on Nick's nightstand. She opened the drawer and pulled out the phone book. Leafing through it she found a taxi service. She knew she was too drunk to drive but she couldn't stay there. She needed to go out. She needed to go to a club and dance. She needed to flirt with men and feel no pain.

She called the taxi service and ordered a taxi at the Stokes' address.

As she waited she went through Jules' closet and found a nicer dress than the cotton one. She found a tight, short, little, black dress and put it on. Walking over to the jewelry box, she dazzled herself up with chunky silver accessories.

Sneaking downstairs and slinking into the living room, she grabbed her purse and her shoes and she sneaked out the front door. Sitting on the front steps she listened to the loud music coming from the backyard and waited. She was in deep thought when one of Nick's friend's came walking around to the front to smoke a cigarette. He startled her.

"Hey, what's a pretty lady like you doing all alone out here," he smiled.

"Hey, Griffin," she smiled back.

"You look pretty…all dressed up?…you going somewhere?" he asked confused by her appearance.

"Yeah, I need to go dancing. Thought I would hit Vipers and Vixens…there is always some wild shit going on there," she laughed.

"Wow, yeah, I'd say…definitely a crazy joint…I guess you are looking for more action than you can find in Stokes' backyard? I'm having a good time back there…you sure you wanna leave?"

"Yyyyep," she said flatly.

"Well, you can't drive…you know that, right?" he looked at her seriously and took a drag of his cigarette.

"Of course…I'm waiting for a taxi."

"Wow, you really are determined. Well, have a good time," he laughed and flipped his cigarette butt across the lawn.

"Oh I will, Griff, I will" she smiled as the taxi pulled up in front of the house.

Grabbing her purse, she stumbled over to the cab, jumped in and told the driver where she wanted to go.

Trista was leaving not just her best friend's party…

…she was leaving her troubling emotions behind as well.


	93. Lucky

I do not own CSI nor have I ever.

Rated T

**I was wondering if these type of chapters are boring to my readers or do they like to see the simple things too?**

**I need to know that...so if you wouldn't mind...please take a minute to tell me.**

**This chapter is just what is going on at the party and how things are going.**

**I hope it's enjoyable...more drama to come though; I promise.**

* * *

She came up behind him as he stood in front of the grill.

"You look sexy when you cook on the grill," she said as she wrapped her arms around his waist, buried her face into his back, and smelled his t-shirt.

"Oh yeah?" he laughed.

She could feel his back move with his chuckle and it made her smile.

Nick moved to the side and she ducked under his arm and came around to hug the side of him. Nick hung his arm around her shoulders and kissed her on the top of her head.

"I thought you said I looked sexy when I **shave**?" he smiled a Nick Stokes' smile at her.

"You do. And you look sexy when you sit in our bed shirtless propped up against the headboard," she laughed, "and you look sexy dressed as a CSI, and you look sexy in a lot of other places too," she grinned up at him, "but _**right now **_you happen to look pretty damn sexy in front of that grill!"

"Actually I know what you mean," and he turned his body so she could be directly in front of him. He pulled her tightly to his chest, leaned his head down and brought his lips to hers.

He kissed her gently with heartfelt emotion before he continued, "I think you're sexy all the time, in fact, if **you **think I am lookin' sexy and **I** think you are lookin' sexy, why don't you and I sneak on upstairs and maybe get a little sexy up there too?" he smirked.

Jules laughed as she looked at him and when he raised his eyebrow her mouth fell open.

"Oh my God, Cowboy! **YOU'RE SERIOUS!" **she laughed hard at him, "You have a whole house full of people and you want to take me to bed? Right now?" she shook her head.

"Well, no...I don't _**have to **_take you to **BED**, Darlin'…I could just as easily take you on the floor, over the dresser," he laughed back at her and kissed her.

Through each of his pecks he added other places he could make love to her. "put you up…on…the counter…in the… bathroom…" he said through each kiss.

"You're insane…I told you years ago _**you have a problem**_," she grinned and squeezed him tighter.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, guess that means you won't let me take you upstairs for a quickie, huh?" he laughed and looked over at his burgers.

With her still wrapped around him, he leaned over and flipped some hamburgers.

"Nah, I think you can wait, Texas, I think you can wait until your friends leave," she said with her cheek against his chest.

Nick closes the grill cover, tosses the spatula on the side shelf, and wraps his arms around his wife again. He kisses the top of her head and she looks up at him smiling softly.

"I love you, Nick…did I tell you that today?" she smiled at him.

"I know you do, Sweetheart, I know…and I love you too," he leaned down and kissed her and she could feel his tongue slowly invading into her mouth subtly. Even his kiss was sexy.

"Ohhhhh God, you two fondling each other again?" Jules' friend Natalie came over by them, "You two have some kind of secret spell on each other don't ya?" she asked suspiciously.

"Definitely," Jules said.

Nick winked at her in agreement.

* * *

Their friend Tim asked Jules for more ketchup and Nick knew that meant she would scurry back into the house on a mission. She wanted everyone to be happy. Nick would have just told their friend to go get another bottle in the fridge but not Jules... she went right inside to get it for them.

Nick watched her as her dimples showed when she smiled and told Tim Rafferty that she would go get him another bottle. Nick shook his head and chuckled to himself at how quickly she bolted for him. He watched them both go into the house.

After a few minutes he saw Tim come outside holding a large bottle of Heinz Ketchup and Nick watched as he brought it over to the table that held all the condiments and paper plates. Nick picked up his beer off the table by the grill and walked into the house to see where Jules had gone off to.

As soon as he walked into the kitchen he saw her. She was leaning inside the refrigerator and only her butt stood out to him. He loved when her shorts rode up on her. She hated it but he preferred them like that. He placed his beer bottle down on the granite counter top, leaned over, and just stared at her.

He watched as her slender, toned, legs glowed in the refrigerator light. He watched when she stood upright and went up on her tip toes. He raised his eyebrow and smirked when her little t-shirt rose up when she reached onto the top shelf. And then he smiled wide when he noticed a little pot belly on her…she was finally starting to show more. He loved it.

Jules turned around and didn't even notice him slouched against the counter top. She was focused on the fruit dip she just pulled out of the fridge. She was thinking about what she should put it in...Nick knew she was.

"Leave it in the container, Babe," he said making her jerk her head up.

"No, no, I should put it in a little bowl, Honey," she shook her head.

"Leave it in the container, would ya... you are too much! Half the people are too drunk to notice and the other half probably are too full to eat it anyway. Leave it," he insisted.

"Ya think? Really?" she squished up her nose but ultimately took his advice.

Nick finished the rest of his beer and wiped his mouth with his arm.

"What are you doing in here anyway, Cowboy?" she said as she peeled the plastic ring off of the lid.

"Nothin'" he said.

She looked up at him.

He grinned.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head at him.

"YOU were looking at my ass when I leaned into the fridge weren't you!" she said shaking her head.

"Yeah, that sounds about right," he smirked, "I thought about taking you from behind as you were in there but…"

"You're drunk," she laughed and then, without thinking, bent over to grab more paper plates from under the cabinet.

"And there she goes again…" he sighed loudly.

"WHAT?" Jules jerked up.

"YOU! You showing me that tight little ass over there," Nick explained and started walking around the counter toward her.

"I don't like that look in your eye, Cowboy," she turned her head slightly to the side.

"No? What look is that?" he said looking at her devilishly and coming closer.

"I am gonna tell your mother how you behave in public, Nicholas Stokes, " she shook her finger at him.

"Yeah? Well then I should make it count," he said and grabbed her by her waist pushing her into the counter by the sink.

His hands slipped around behind her and he grabbed her ass with both hands.

"You're loaded, Nick," she laughed loudly when he picked her up and put her on the edge of the counter, "Hey! Hey, don't let me fall into the sink!" she grabbed his strong shoulders.

Nick stood in between her legs that were dangling off the counter. He stared at her in the eyes. It was true, he was pretty buzzed but that really didn't have anything to do with how much he loved her. How much he wanted her around him, touching him.

Jules stared back at him and let her hands slide from his shoulders to the back of his neck. She knew what he was thinking. She knew Nick didn't need beer to make him want her. She didn't have any liquor tonight, and she too was suddenly wanting him…right there…right now.

They were not kissing, they weren't feeling each other up as she dangled from the counter, instead they just stood staring at each other. They didn't need to do anything for them be having an intimate moment.

Catherine came inside the kitchen but neither Jules nor Nick noticed. Their focus instead was on each other.

"Ya ever hear of eye sex, Wendy?" Catherine said to Wendy Sims.

"What?" Wendy laughed, "I don't think so…"

"Well, you're lookin' at it, right there," she said and pointed over at Nick and Jules.

Nick looked over at Catherine and shook his head slowly before chuckling quietly.

Jules smiled at them both. She thought about defending themselves but the truth was…she didn't even care to.

All she could say was the truth, "Sorry…I just love this man…I can't help it," she smiled and bit her bottom lip.

Nick looked up surprised she didn't stammer a denial about eye sex to his co-workers. He smiled wide as only Nick Stokes could do.

"Oh ya see, now **this **is what I'm talkin' 'bout, right here," he leaned in and began to kiss her neck in front of them.

Jules squealed from his tickle and slapped his shoulders while she screamed.

"Oh God, do you let MY _**daughter **_see you in action?" Catherine laughed.

"Oh now come on, you think THIS is action, Cath? How about **THIS**?" Nick smirked before taking both his hands, grabbing Jules' face and planting a ridiculously strong kiss on her lips.

Jules waved her hands up in shock and then let them fall to Nick's shoulders. She kissed him back for a few seconds before stopping, "Okay, now you are getting carried away, Texas!" Jules stopped before it got too crazy. "Go get another beer and we can try that again tonight," she laughed, pushed him away and hopped off the counter.

Jules chuckled, "I'm going to check on my daughter and change these shorts!" she said turning around to show them how wet her butt got from being on the counter next to the sink.

Nick slapped her ass as she walked away from him.

Jules just ignored it.

Wendy and Catherine just shook their heads and laughed.

* * *

Opening the door slowly, Jules looked into the room of her sleeping daughter. She crept inside, leaned down over her, and rubbed her nose against her tangled hair.

"I love you so much, princess, Mommy loves you so much," she whispered and stroked her hair. "Look at you, you look just like your daddy, pretty girl, ya know that?" she told her knowing her daughter wouldn't be answering.

"Ya think so?" Nick whispered into the bedroom as he stood by the door.

Jules looked up and smiled at him. She looked back down at her daughter and back up at him as he walked quietly into the room and stood behind her. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and looked over her shoulder at his daughter.

"She does look like me, doesn't she…" he smiled proudly.

"Even her hair is getting darker now," she admitted.

"She has a lot of you in her too, don't let her fool ya," Nick whispered.

"Just face it, Cowboy," Jules whispered, "…she's the spittin' image of ya, as you Texans like to say," she smiled softly.

"Ooooh, I love it when you talk Texan to me, baby," he growled onto her neck.

Jules loved this moment.

She loved the times when the man she adored hugged her so tightly and held her in his arms. She loved how they stared down at their daughter together sharing the same love and devotion. She wondered how she got so lucky.

Nick loved this moment.

He loved how she felt in his arms and he loved how _he _felt when he held her tight. He loved the little girl they made together and he wondered, at that moment...

...how he ever got so lucky.


	94. The Tides Turn

I don't own CSI...get it? Got it? GOOD.

Rated T

**Here's an update for my faithful followers :o)**

**This chapter will give you some Nick & Jules sappy fluff...**

**But can they really be fluffy allll the time? **

**Hmmm...maybe...maybe not.**

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* * *

It wasn't until Jules got to the bottom of the stairs that she looked over at Nick and sighed loudly.

"What? Whatsa matter, Darlin'?" he asked with his thick southern twang.

"I never did change my shorts!" she groaned not feeling like going back up and sneaking quietly into her room.

"How wet are they?"

"Well, just damp I guess," she said feeling her butt.

"Want me to check for ya?" he said moving close to her and sliding his hand to her ass and caressing it.

"Mmmm, I think it feels perfect actually." he smiled.

"You never quit, do ya, Cowboy?" she grinned.

"Never, Sunshine," he laughed and leaned in to kiss her neck.

Jules kissed the side of his head before pulling away, "Eh, they're good enough I guess."

"Ya sure? Because I can go back up there with ya and help you get out of them," he grinned like a school boy at her.

"Yes, Nick, I'm sure," she grinned back.

"Well, they'll dry fast, come outside and hang out with me," he asked and his deep brown eyes could make her do anything he asked.

Together they walked outside to the party in their yard.

* * *

Sitting on his thigh with her legs in between his, Jules could feel Nick's hand slide down into the back of her shorts and rest inside them. He played with the string on her thong as he talked to Greg and Catherine at the patio table. She wondered if he even realized that he literally had his hands down her pants in front of his colleagues; she didn't think he did nor did she think he would even care at this point of the night. She didn't even bother to make him stop either. She loved how he has always loved to touch her. It made her heart feel good.

While Nick continued to twist his index finger around the top of her thong string, he brought up a gory detail about one of their cases. It was when they started talking about that particular case, which she found absolutely horrific, that she tuned them out and began scanning the backyard for her best friend. She wondered where she could be since she hadn't seen her in a while. She was beginning to think she passed out somewhere in the house. She chuckled to herself. _"Nick was right…she was gonna pass out." _but then she worried that maybe she was actually getting sick. And so, she stood up in between Nick's legs and told the three of them that she was going to find Trista.

"What's a matter, Jules," Greg smiled, "is our conversation making you sick?"

"Nah, I'm used to it. I am just wondering if Trista's is okay…she was really pounding the Tequila!"

"Yeah, I think you should, Babe, I agree with ya," Nick said with his southern drawl.

As she walked away, Nick made a point of leaning back and slapping her ass. She smirked but ignored him.

* * *

Jules scanned the area with her eyes intently.

Warrick watched his sister from across the yard. He ended his conversation with Wendy Sims and walked over to her.

"Who are scoping out?"

"Trista…you see her?"

"Um, yeah, earlier," he looked down nervously.

"Where? Is she okay?"

Yeah, why? Why wouldn't she be?" Warrick asked sounding guilty.

"Uhhh, maybe because she is drunk off her ass?" she said sarcastically.

"Oh, oh, yeah," he stuttered, "ya know, she was heading upstairs a little while ago…she said she left something up there…maybe she passed out on your bed?"

"I'm gonna go see," Jules said and turned to walk into the house.

"I'll go with ya," he said following her.

Walking through the sliders and into her kitchen with her brother she headed first to the den to see if she was lying down. When she wasn't there, Jules turned and headed for the bathroom to see if she was puking.

Warrick was already coming from there and met Jules half way in the kitchen.

"Nope, she ain't in there," he said referring to the bathroom.

Griffin Burke walked into the kitchen just as Jules grumbled, "Oh C'mon, Trista! Where are you!"

"Oh she left," he said matter of factly while grabbing a bag of Doritos off the counter and turning back to walk outside.

"**WHAT? ****WHOA, WHHHHAT?**" Jules yelled stuttering in disbelief.

Griffin turned around and looked at her surprised that she didn't know.

"Yeah, she left about an hour ago," he informed her.

Warrick and Jules looked at each other with horror.

"**SHE DROVE? SHE LEFT HERE? SHE'S NOT HERE?" **Jules screamed frantically.

Still sitting outside on the patio, Catherine, Greg and Nick all turned their heads toward the open sliding glass doors wondering why Jules was yelling frantically.

Nick pushed his chair backwards and stood up furrowing his face unsure if Jules was freaking out or not. It sounded like it so he headed inside.

"Babe? What's up?" he asked as he leaned his head into the kitchen through the glass doors.

"**TRISTA LEFT, NICK! Trista LEFT!" **she said loudly.

"Whaaaat? Nah, no she didn't, no way…she was way too drunk to drive…she's probably upstairs," he said with disbelief.

"No, man," Griffin turned toward Nick, "she got in a cab about an hour ago; I saw her" he said suddenly feeling bad he didn't stop her.

"_**WHERE WAS SHE GOING?" **_Warrick said panicked.

"Um, she said she wanted to go dancing…shit where did she say she was she going?" Griffin mumbled in thought.

"Griff, **THINK**, man," Warrick said.

"Um, shit…I can't…wait…I fuckin' forget, I'm sorry," he winced.

"NO, no you have to think," Jules said with fear, "You don't understand, Trista was wasted and kept drinking…the alcohol is going to catch up to her even more…I gotta find her, Griffin!"

"The VooDoo Club, I think?" he answered.

"No, uh uh, she hates it there…" she rubbed her hands over her face and then realized he might mean a different bar that begins with a 'V'.

"Vixen and Viper?" Jules asked.

"**YES**! YES! I'm positive," he said firmly.

Jules looked at Nick with fear on her face.

"Nick, this is bad…I have a bad feeling about this…_**WHY**_? Why would she leave here? What the hell is wrong with her?" she said choking up.

Warrick looked at Nick and then down at his feet.

"We gotta go get her," Jules said.

"I can't drive!" Nick said knowing he needed to sober up a lot before he could drive.

"No, stay with your friends, I'll go," she said grabbing her keys.

"Whoa, whoa, Baby Girl, no I don't think so," Warrick said grabbing her keys.

Jules was about to protest but Nick stepped in.

"No, no way, Babe, he's right, there is **no way** I'm allowing you to head out on a search for your drunken best friend, uh-uh, no" he shook his head adamantly.

"**Allowing **me? Seriously?" she frowned.

"Yeah, that's what I said," Nick told her firmly refusing to even entertain the idea.

He knew she wasn't the kind of girl to be ordered around by her husband but there were times where Nick just didn't care and told her exactly what she would or would not be doing…this was one of those times.

"**Nick**!" she began to argue but he cut her off.

"_**Jules! No! You're NOT going**_!" he pointed at her adamantly.

"Baby Girl, I will go…stay here," Warrick stepped in.

"Where do you guys get off telling me what to do? Are you kidding me?"

_**"Jules, you are pregnant, upset, and this is bullshit! It's just not necessary!"**_

"**Nick! I am capable of going to get my best friend from a bar, for God's sake!**" Jules stood there staring at him deciding how she wanted to proceed with this argument.

Nick stared back at her not backing down.

"Baby Girl I agree with him, okay? No one is ordering you around…I'll just go and I will bring her back…it's not a big deal!"

"Argggghhh!" she groaned, " **FINE**! Then go, Warrick," she said pissed off that she was being treated like a child.

Jules watched Warrick tear out the front door. Once the door closed behind him she turned back toward Nick.

He put up his hand.

"I don't want to hear it, Babe, okay," he told her firmly.

"Why are you giving me such a hard time?"

"I'm not! You are making it into one."

Catherine walked into the kitchen and could see the tension between the two of them.

"Hey, hey, come on guys," Catherine said.

Nick shook his head, "No! It's ridiculous…you don't need to go around town looking for her…Warrick can handle it!"

"I could help, Nick, we could have split up at the bar!"

"Yeah, just what I want…you searching a crowded bar…He doesn't need help and if he did, well, you have other people here that could do it…Nat could have gone…why does my pregnant wife have to constantly go running? No, too bad. **NO**!" he yelled the last 'no' adamantly.

"Well it doesn't matter now, does it! He left!" she said getting upset.

"Exactly!"

Jules was angry but Nick was just as stubborn and wouldn't back down.

"**Why do you have to act like such an asshole about this, Nick!" **she yelled loudly.

His eyebrows went up and he jerked his head back, "_**I'M an ASSHOLE?**_ I'm an asshole?" he repeated, "That's nice…I'm an asshole because I don't think you…Ya know what…I'm not explaining myself again…Fine, ya think I'm an asshole? Fine…I'm an asshole…**and YOU still ain't going**!" he yelled and stormed out of the kitchen into the backyard.

Jules frowned and walked away too, but…

… in the other direction.


	95. End Games

I do not own CSI.

Rated M - for mature content and language.

**Geesh, this little story is now growing to nearly 100 chapters...whew...do I keep going or start a new volume? **

**I guess I can't stop until Nick and Jules have their babies but ... when on earth will that be? **

**So much between then and now...what's a story without more drama?**

**And so the drama continues...but this time it involves Warrick and Trista.**

**In this chapter, Warrick searches for Trista...**

**Will he find her? Will she give him a hard time? Or give him a horrible tragedy instead?**

**Will there be a huge fall out for everyone involved?  
**

**You'll have to read on to find out...& remember...REVIEW!**

**And thank you again for my the wonderful readers who took a few minutes to give me positive reinforcement...  
**

* * *

Trista thought her head was spinning inside the taxi she had no idea how much worse it would be inside the bar. But, it didn't really matter to her anyway.

"_Damn this place is loud and rockin'_!" she thought to herself.

She was about to head over to the bar but smiled when she heard her favorite song. So she made a U-Turn and headed straight to the dance floor instead and danced her way into the middle.

It wasn't long before the guys swam to her like a school of piranhas. Trista danced right along with them. In fact, she took a particular liking to the guy with the white button down shirt and the big gold watch. He was hot. He was clean cut but he sure did know how to move like a wild one. He was grinding into her from behind. Trista turned and faced him and together they danced seductively. Their bodies entwined and pressed together. He dipped her backward while she arched her back. He grinded himself into her as if he was having sex with her right there on the dance floor. Trista didn't care. She didn't feel anything. She was shut off to any feelings. She just danced. She danced her feelings and her thoughts away. But there was one thing she did feel and that was the massive hard-on this dude was pressing into her groin. She flipped herself back up to face him. She yelled to him over the music.

"Excited much?" she laughed.

"Oh yeah, you are making me crazy!" he yelled back.

"I'm glad," she said and turned her back to him.

He grabbed her waist and pulled her back to him and moved his hips into her ass. He leaned into her neck and he asked her if they could get to know each other.

"Come with me," he said.

"Where?" she laughed drunkenly.

"Over there, by the wall…" he said as he grabbed her hand and led her off the dance floor.

* * *

Driving quickly down the road Warrick felt the guilt creep in.

_"Damn it, Trista…did you really need to get away from me that badly?"_ he asked her even though she wasn't next to him.

He ran his palm down his face as he drove fast.

"_I am gonna freak out on you when I find you, ya know that!"_ he said to the empty car and slammed his hand on the steering wheel, "_You are in NO condition to be out running around all liquored up!_" he said out loud but still feeling tremendous guilt.

Pulling into the parking lot of the bar, he was grateful when he found an open parking spot.

"Oh man, I got lucky," Warrick said getting out and slamming the car door, "Now let's hope I'll have the same luck with finding her," he continued to talk to himself.

Warrick cut the line to get inside and gave a handshake and shoulder bump to the bouncer.

"Hey, Warrick, what's up, Brother," the enormous bouncer said.

"Hey Heavy, you see a dark haired, small, pretty girl," he began.

"Lots of 'em, man, take your pick," he laughed and opened the velvet rope.

Warrick nodded, "Yeah, I'm looking for on in particular…a little bombed one actually."

"Go look, man," he said and smiled he let Warrick inside, "And good luck wit dat!" he laughed a loud belly laugh.

"I might need it," Warrick nodded back.

* * *

As the good looking guy pulled Trista by the hand through the crowd they made it over to the wall by the back exit door. Trista leaned against the wall to help her from tipping over. She laughed as she banged against it hard.

"Well gorgeous, I'm Jared," he smiled a sexy smile.

"Well Jared, I'm Trista," she smiled and slurred back.

Without warning, he leaned into her and began to kiss her passionately. She wasn't expecting it but she welcomed it. His hands roamed around her waist and back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he pushed his groin into her. She could feel his thick hard-on and she knew she was making him hotter.

He began to move his mouth to her neck and sucked it wildly before leaning closer to her ear.

"I fuckin' want you, you know that, don't you..." he told her.

Trista laughed drunkenly but didn't reply.

"You are so fucking hot," he said just before licking her neck again.

Suddenly he pushed off her and grabbed her wrist. He slammed his hand against the door bar and pushed opened it. He pulled her roughly through the door and into the alley.

Trista could feel the warm breeze against her face and it felt good. It helped keep her head from spinning. Slamming her against the brick alley wall, Jared pushed his body onto hers, grabbed the back of her hair with both hands, and devoured her lips. She was kissing him back with desire and lust. Trista didn't realize Jared was unbuttoning his pants. She was so drunk that she was numb but she could still feel his hands trailing up her dress and feeling around and grabbing her ass hard. She felt his hands begin to pull down her bathing suit bottoms and she opened her eyes.

It wasn't what she wanted.

He wasn't _**who **_she wanted.

He wasn't Warrick.

This was wrong.

She was realizing she was with a strange guy in a dimly lit alley. She instantly felt dirty; she didn't like herself and she wanted to stop.

Pushing his hands out from under her dress she stopped him.

Breathing heavy she told him, "Stop, wait…I don't want…It's not…this is not who I am." she stuttered to find the right words.

"What? That's crazy, come here, you sexy little thing" he whispered and leaned back into her.

"No, look, I am so, so sorry. I didn't mean to get you all crazy…it's my fault…I'm just not thinking right," she slurred her words and tried to explain.

"Sorry? I am standing here with a fuckin' rock solid hard-on and you are sorry? You wanted ME in there!"

"You're right, this is my fault…I'm sorry but no, I don't want this," she said and tried to move him out of her way.

"No, no, don't go, Honey," he smiled at her, "We can just talk."

She looked at him for a few seconds. She thought about how that would be so nice, but Trista wasn't sure she could believe that.

"I'm sorry, really…" she said turning to walk to the door.

Grabbing the door handle she pulled but it wouldn't open.

It was locked.

"Oh fuck, we locked ourselves out," she said looking directly at the door as she spoke.

"Good!" Jared smiled.

"We can hear each other much better out here," he smiled sweetly at her.

Trista wobbled from the alcohol and Jared caught her as she stumbled.

"You had too many drinks tonight, huh, pretty lady," he chuckled still looking at her lustfully.

"Just a little," she smiled knowing it was true.

"Let me help you...Here, lean against the wall, it will help, we can talk and then I'll walk around to the front of the building."

The two of them talked for a little while and Trista enjoyed the cool breeze on her face since the liquor still continued to creep up on her. She barely even noticed how close Jared was getting until his lips touched hers. She found herself kissing him again and liking it far too much. She knew she was in a dirty alley but her heart needed to forget Warrick and the liquor was telling her that this was a good thing to do…and so she continued to kiss him as his hands roamed around her body.

Trista pushed away for a second.

"What's the matter, Honey?" Jared asked breathing heavily.

"Look, I told you…I'm not usually this kind of girl to…" she said before he cut her off.

"No, you look, we came out here to get it on, you know it and I know it," Jared told her.

Trista suddenly felt guilty for being such a dick tease. She needed to stop playing this game and decide what she wanted to do. The alley began spinning when she felt him kiss her again.

She let him.

She also let him reach up her dress and rub his finger around the outside of her bikini bottoms. It felt good but her knees felt weak. She hoped this cute guy with the big, gold, watch would hold her up because she was afraid she would slink to the ground in a drunken heap if he didn't.

Trista could hear him talking but her head pounded so loud she could no longer hear what he was saying. If she could, she would have gotten the hell out of there.

"Yeah, you like that don't ya," he said rubbing her clit through the material, "You like this you hot little whore," he whispered and began to invade her mouth again with his tongue.

Trista had been gliding her hands through his hair but she lost the feeling in her arms now too and they drooped lifelessly over his shoulders.

Jared was realizing how drunk she was, stopped rubbing her and instead cupped her crotch and squeezed hard.

"I'm gonna get you nice and wet, Honey, don't you worry about a thing…you will love it when my big, hard, dick rams inside you…." he chuckled to himself before adding, "And I'm guessing from the way you moved on that dance floor, you'll be wanting me to nail you in the ass too," he grumbled into her neck, "You were dancing like a hot fuckin' little whore in there! You were begging me for it…well, congratulations, tonight is your lucky night."

Trista mumbled that he should probably stop since she was really drunker than she realized, but he ignored her and instead began to reach for her bikini bottoms trying hard to remove them.

She wiggled and pushed away.

"This...no really...I don't want this," she said beginning to realize what was happening.

"You can't keep saying yes and then no…you're teasing me and it's really getting old now!" he leaned back in and invaded her mouth again.

She turned her face away from his kiss and stared at the big, chunky, gold watch on his wrist trying to focus on what was happening.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Jared used his other hand unbuckle his belt.

Trista squeezed her eyes shut, _"Oh God, Trista,_" she thought silently, _"You really are a fucking whore. You really a Honey after all. You are a disgrace."_

She could feel her eyes dampen from shame but she was too drunk to get out of the situation she got herself into.

* * *

The music was blaring and the crowd was deep. Warrick looked around and tried to move through the dancers.

He continued to scan the dance floor as he made his way through the crowd, but came up empty.

After some time, he made it all around until he reached the back of the dance floor. Still, there was no sign of Trista Morgan.

Warrick pressed his lips together and frowned as he thought. He suddenly got a flashback of a case he worked a few years back at a bar not too far from the one he was in. He remembered the stripper they found in the bathroom. She was raped and murdered and left there like a piece of meat and he felt fear creep inside him.

_"Stop it, Rick, stop it. This is your job talking...it doesn't always happen, man...you just see the worst scenes, remember?"_ he began talking himself down from his paranoia that his line of work creates in him daily. _"Yeah, but if it can happen to a seasoned stripper, Trista wouldn't have a chance!" _he paused_, "NO! Stop Warrick, fuckin' stop this bullshit!"_ He had to continue to talk himself down and remove the image of that pretty girl who was just used and tossed away like garbage. It made him sick. "_Oh God, if anything ever happened to her...it would be...oh God, I couldn't bear it...please...WHERE ARE YOU, TRISTA! God damn it! Where the fuck are you!"_

* * *

Trista felt her body begin to slide down the brick wall.

"Hey, Sweetheart, you still with me?" Jared asked taking his hand away from his buckle long enough to prop her back up.

Trista could even answer him and he didn't care.

"Do you like it rough, baby? I liked the way you were dancing in there...you seem like the type...I bet you like it real rough..." he growled, " I'm gonna choke you as I fuck you...I promise it'll make you cum hard...if I don't accidentally kill you, of course," he whispered.

And then... he laughed.

She didn't.

She couldn't even move.

She wanted to scream but she couldn't make a sound either. She wasn't sure if she heard him right...

She finally managed to mumble...

"Did you just say you might kill me?" she asked as his hand caressed her neck.

He looked at her and just laughed.

At that very minute, she knew she really fucked up bad this time. She wondered if Emma would remember her...She wondered if Jules would name one of her babies after her... She wondered if Nick would be able to forgive her for allowing this to happen. She wondered if Warrick will miss her once she was gone.

She had wondered a lot of things in that very short minute.

But soon her throat tightened and her surroundings turned black...it was too late to wonder anything else...

...she was already gone.


	96. Exit

I do not own CSI...nor have I ever.

Rated T

**Trista and Jules had been friends for years...**

**And they were both known to get themselves in to trouble in their day... **

**But, while Jules had her fair share of crazy...**

**It had always been Trista who was the one to push the envelope the farthest.**

**Trista didn't always have the street smarts Jules did to get her out of bad situations so they made a good team...**

**Trista pushed and Jules got them out of it.**

**But this time... Sadly...  
**

**Jules wasn't there.**

* * *

Death was so final.

It was the end…the finish line.

She hadn't imagined crossing it this early in her life but there it was…

Over…

**Done**.

And darkness consumed her.

She couldn't see anything but blackness around her.

Trista wondered when she would see the light to follow, but when she still didn't see one she knew...

There would be no light. There was no halo for her. She was not worthy of Heaven so she needed to get used to this sad darkness.

"_Why would there be a light for you, Trista? You were grinding on the dance floor with men you didn't know…you were getting it on with a stranger in the alley…you trusted a man who took pleasure in choking you to death…you wasted your precious life because of your indiscretions. You made your bed, girlfriend, now lie in it," _she heard her own voice telling her the cold hard facts.

Trista felt so bad.

She felt sorry for all the things she said and did. She especially felt guilty for putting herself in a position that ultimately led to her doom.

She knew it would be the LVPD Crime Scene Investigators that would come take pictures of her lifeless body that lay in the alley. She knew who those investigators would be too…and that horrified her.

She felt terribly ashamed that Nick would see her looking like a tramp. It made her sick to think of Nick and Warrick's co-workers seeing her this way. And Warrick… it made her sad to think about Warrick's face when he looked over her. She knew how he would react. She knew he would crumble. Both he and Nick would both crumble, not only for their loss, but because of the void she just left in Emma's and Jules' life.

_How will they tell Jules and Emma? What will they say? _The mere thought hurt.

Trista now knew the feeling of torment that death had just bestowed upon her. She was submerged in nothing but darkness, regret, and guilt.

She wished she had the chance to tell Jules and Nick, and Emma and Warrick, just how sorry she was for being so stupid and reckless.

But, all she could hear in her darkness was the sound of her own voice echoing only these two words…

…"I'm sorry."

* * *

Warrick wondered if maybe he should go into the woman's bathroom.

_"You wanna get thrown outta here before you even find her, man?"_ he grumbled to himself knowing the answer.

He leaned against the wall and waited to see if she would come out. As he waited, he began scanning the room.

Warrick studied every seat in the room and looked at every occupied stool at the bar.

He looked up to see if there was another floor to the bar even though he knew damn well there wasn't.

He continued to search the crowd with his eyes.

And then, he stared at each of the exit doors.

Warrick's eyes went to each one located on every wall...he stared at them. He felt drawn to them.

He squinted his eyes and chewed the inside of his cheek. Warrick began to think about the three women he, Sarah, and Nick had to process in an alley down on the Strip just last month. He knew alleyways were ideal for bad things to happen…quiet, concealed, easy to slip out of…

His head whipped to the left and he frowned at that particular exit door, which was on the same side of the wall that he was leaning against. He knew that that would be the door that headed into the alley behind the building and he suddenly he got a sinking feeling about it. He wasn't sure why, but his gut was screaming even louder than the blaring music surrounding him.

Warrick turned and walked to that exit door.

"**Excuse me, sorry….excuse me**…" he yelled over the music to people as he pushed his way to the door.

His heart was pounding.

His instincts were screaming…they were telling him she was out there in that alley.

He could feel it. He knew it before he even got to the door.

He also had a bad feeling about what was on the other side of it.

It was as if his heart was telling him to get to her but his brain was telling him it was too late.

_"Stop thinking like that, man, just stop thinking she is…she is...," _he couldn't finish that thought.

Instead he took a deep breath and pushed his way through the crowd and toward the back exit door.

All the while stuffing away that horrible fear that he may be too late after all.

All the while screaming silently inside himself to...

..._"Just please find her!"  
_


	97. State of Mind

I don not own CSI

Rated M - mature/sexual theme

**Sorry for the delay in updating.**

**Lack of reviews = lack of creativity.**

**Even summaries aren't able to be written without praise.**

**Reviews are to me what stickers are to kindergartners.**

* * *

Trista couldn't see anything but blackness.

And, aside from her own thoughts echoing inside her head, she couldn't hear anything either.

But, surprisingly, she could **feel**.

And what Trista felt was someone slapping her face over and over firmly.

She wondered why.

She wondered who.

She thought she suddenly heard some sort of mumbling…and so she listened harder.

She wondered if it was God…or worse.

But, finally, the sound came in a little bit clearer and she realized it was a voice…and it certainly wasn't God's.

"_**Hey…hey…" **_Jared said staring at her closed eyes and slapping her cheeks again.

Trista could hardly hear him but she felt his tapping and it was bringing her back around.

"**Hey, hey, Krista," **he said a little louder, **"You're supposed to like this…**

Trista didn't answer…she simply began to slip, her body limp and slowly dragging down the wall again, barely conscious.

"Whoa, Honey, you gotta be awake…what the hell, woman!" he said pulling her back up the wall and slapping her cheek again to wake her.

Trista opened her eyes and, looking dazed and confused, she stared into his .

She wanted to tell him she was alive, but she couldn't speak… not only because she was inebriated, but because she was shocked to still be breathing the Las Vegas air.

**She was still alive**.

She had never been so relieved in her life.

And then she realized the man in front of her was the guy with the big, gold, watch who she danced with inside the club. She also realized she was still in the alley with him and he was still talking to her.

"Don't pass out on me before I get my dick inside you, Krista! You gotta wait till I start fuckin' ya…then I will squeeze off your oxygen, okay? Haven't you ever done this before?" Jared asked.

Trista squinted so she could see only one of him instead of the double she was seeing.

She didn't even know that a tear slid down her cheek until it dripped onto Jared's hand that was on her shoulder.

He felt it hit the top of his hand. Moving it away, he wiped it on his pants. He looked at her and tilted his head. He thought for a minute. Then, he smiled, raised his hand and, as he went up to brush some hair out of her face, she winced with a look of fear.

"Whoa, hey…" he laughed at her. "Ya know, I was only kidding about killing you…you do know that right?" he furrowed his brow, "I mean, choking sex is fucking great but if you don't want to then just say so…I won't force you to do that!"

"I don't want to," she finally whispered so quietly he barely heard her.

"You don't? You don't want to? Is that what you just said?" he asked unsure.

"I don't want to…I don't want to do any of this," she whispered feeling extremely ashamed of herself.

"Yes, yes you do…you're just…here, let me make you feel better," he said and kissed her lips and moving his hand up her dress again.

Finding the crotch of her bikini bottoms, he began to rub the center of the material that covered her mound and focused on stoking her slit.

"Let me get you hot and wet," Jared said and began sucking her neck as he rubbed her.

Trista still didn't want to mess around anymore but she knew she led this guy on way to much to turn back now…at this point she was just glad she wasn't dead.

As he kissed her neck she felt him move the material of her bikini bottoms to the side and rub his finger around in search of her opening.

She closed her eyes and blocked it out; she could no longer see, but she still heard his zipper go down.

"Scoot off the wall a little… I need to get your panties down…here let me help you," he said as he put his hand on the small of her back and pulled her forward.

Trista wobbled and nearly tipped over but Jared held her up with his shoulder and, while he stabilized her with his body, he tried to pull her panties down at the same time. It wasn't an easy task.

He chuckled with frustration, "You are making me work for this, huh, you sexy, little, bitch…but c'mon, you've kept me waiting way too long…we should have been fucking wildly by now…you realize that? I think I have been really patient, don't you?" he told her.

Trista knew he managed to get both his hands up her dress as she was lifelessly propped forward onto his chest. She could feel his fingers grab each side of her swimsuit bottoms and grip them in his fists. She knew they would be sliding down shortly so she took a deep breath and began to get lost in herself.

This was her fault…this wasn't his. This mistake rested solely on her shoulders; she knew that…she took the blame. At this point the only thing she was hoping for was to just get it over with quickly and she would try to forgive herself later.

Jared moved her back against the wall. He was having a hard time getting the bikini bottoms down.

"You wearing a bathing suit?" he asked smiling.

Trista couldn't answer…she didn't care enough to. She was completely numb.

"Damn, you were swimming and came here to get laid? Man, that is even hotter!" he said as he stroked the side of her face. "You have to be one of the hottest girls in this place. I know you are worth the fuckin' wait…" he smiled and pushed her dress up with his forearms to just below her hips. He smiled at her bikini bottoms…

"Oh Hell yes, you were swimming…you got that bikini top on, too?" he asked.

Trista still couldn't speak but she thought she might have shook her head "no". She just wasn't sure. but a glow on the night

And, from the looks of Jared, he didn't seem to care about the answer. He was too busy unzipping his pants impatiently; he couldn't wait another minute to finally fuck this broad right there in the alley outside the club.

* * *

The music vibrated the club's walls as it blared out into the crowd. Warrick would have normally been into the beat they were playing but tonight he had only one thing on his mind, and that was finding Trista. He couldn't stand the horrible feeling he was getting. He felt like she was in a bad situation and she was unable to get out of it. He wasn't sure why he felt that way since he knows Trista is no shrinking wall flower but she was really pounding back tequila and that made Warrick very worried about her state of mind. The more he worried the faster he pushed his way tot eh exit door.

"Hey, Buddy! Watch it!" a few guys told him as he forcefully made his way past them.

"Sorry, my bad, I just need to get around you to that door," he explained and continued to push his way through the crowd..

The guys nodded, "Yeah, it IS your bad," the drunken kid told him getting in his face.

Warrick was in no mood to start arguing with this drunk kid so he just shook his head and yelled, "LVPD," as he pointed to his emblem that was printed on his black, CSI T-shirt.

He was suddenly very glad he chose Nick's CSI shirt earlier and not some lame ass Dallas Cowboys or Mavericks shirts that he saw several of. This shirt happen to come in very handy tonight. It made his trek to that exit door easier, because otherwise there would have been a huge battle if those drunks thought they would keep him from his destination.

With the drunken losers out of the way, Warrick could now see that exit door clearly.

He was standing in front of it now.

His heart raced.

He watched his own hands as they wrapped around the cold metal bar and he pushed it hard swinging it open with force.

He gasped at the sight in front of him and he heard himself yell...

"**Oh my God…TRISTA!"**


	98. Wasted

I do not own CSI.

Rated: M for suggestive themes.

**See what a little positive reinforcement does? **

**You got me writing again...and so I updated within hours. Sweeeet!**

**This long chapter is about what happens once that exit door flings open. **

**Warrick has found her...and so the fallout out ensues...**

**Keep reviewing and I promise...I'll keep on writing!**

* * *

When the door swung open it startled Jared as he was just getting his zipper down. His body jerked back a bit and he looked at Warrick agitated.

"Busy out here, man, try again later," he told him with his hand still on his opened zipper.

Warrick's mouth fell open and he looked at Trista slumped against the wall.

"**TRISTA**!" he yelled again.

Trista let her head roll toward Warrick slowly. She stared at him before her head bobbed and weaved. She wasn't sure she should tell him to help her or tell him to leave her alone…to just let her be stupid and let her not care anymore.

"Warrrrick?" she slurred. It was the only thing she managed to get out of her mouth.

Jared looked shocked when he heard Trista say Warrick's name. He could barely get her to talk a minute ago and here she was recognizing the voice of a stranger. And then he realized, at that minute, by the look on Warrick's face, that not only did this girl know this guy but… this guy was horrified and enraged.

He stood frozen with his hand still on his zipper just staring at Warrick.

Warrick stormed out of the club into the alley; he pushed Jared with all his might causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground away from Trista.

"Dude! What the fuck! **She **wanted it! She's been all over **me**, man!" Jared yelled from the ground.

Warrick looked down at him, **"You know she is fucking wasted!**" he screamed.

He looked over and saw Trista slide down the wall and fall to the ground and onto her butt.

"You all right, Trist?" he asked her unsure.

Trista looked up at him and just stared. She was unable to speak but her thoughts were going full speed ahead.

Warrick couldn't hear her thoughts…. If he could he would hear her telling him that she was sorry. Telling him that she is self destructing in order to make her not feel anything for him. She didn't want to ruin her relationship with Jules, Emma or Nick. She didn't want to lose him either. She needed to punish herself for feeling this way…for even considering jeopardizing things. How dare she be so selfish? How dare she think she loved him like this? She is so stupid.

If Warrick could have heard her thoughts, he would also have heard her begging him to rescue her from herself, but instead he heard her voice instead.

"I'm fine, Warrick, what's your problem?" her head bobbed and she tried to get up.

"**LOOK AT YOU**!" he yelled.

"Leave her alone, Dude, she is fine!" Jared said to Warrick. "Krista, tell him you and I are together here.

Warrick shot him a look. He didn't even bother to correct him that her name is not even Krista. He simply ignored him and walked over to Trista.

"Here, I can help you, come on," he told her and held her arm.

She tried hard to get up but was failing miserably so she allowed Warrick to hold her arm for a minute.

"Hey, Pal, how about you go find your own girl?" Jared said also getting up from the ground. "Do you know how long she and I have been out here?" he said annoyed that he hadn't banged this broad yet. "Krista! Tell him! Tell him you wanted to come out here!"

_**"Hey dirt bag, how about you get yourself up and get the fuck out of here before I beat you senseless?" **_he yelled at him.

Warrick's loud voice made her head hurt.

"Warrick, just stop…"

"Look at me, Trist, look at me," he said trying to look in her eyes.

Warrick was trying to check to see how dilated her pupils were. He was getting concerned by the way she could hardly stand or communicate.

Trista opened and closed her eyes slowly a few times trying to get her focus back.

"Listen, the chick is with me," Jared insisted.

"**HEY SCUM BAG! I SAID GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE…DON'T YOU FUCKING GET IT?" **Warrick said losing his patience with Jared so much so that he let go of her arm.

Trista leaned against the bricks to hold herself up.

Warrick walked over to Jared and grabbed the front of his shirt.

"WARRICK! Stop it…" she slurred and pushed off against the bricks.

She tripped a few times as she came closer. She held her hand out and used the brick wall to help hold her up again.

Looking over at Warrick, she heard the words she didn't mean come out of her mouth, "I **don't** want to be with you…I'm with him," she yelled her statement although she was not sure why…it wasn't true…but even at her drunkest she was sure she had to push him away.

Warrick spun around and glared at her, **"I DON'T CARE IF YOU WANT TO BE WITH ME OR NOT! BUT RIGHT NOW, TRISTA, YOU ARE COMING WITH ME!"**

"Hey, didn't you hear what she said? She is with **ME**, get over it, man! YOU LOST!" Jared continued to press Warrick's buttons.

Warrick had enough of this little punk trying to get a piece.

"Listen you little bastard, you are trying to take advantage of a drunk girl…you are a low life piece of shit…but I am gonna give you one last chance to walk out of this alley or else I will call my buddies at the LVPD and make your life a living hell!"

"War…rrrrick!" Trista slurred before she slid down the bricks and onto her butt hard.

Warrick didn't help her up yet, instead he turned and pushed Jared hard, egging him on.

"Warrick!" Trista yelled from her seat on the ground. "Ohhhhh biiiiig baaaaad, Warrick…No, wait, I'm sorry, no, I mean…CSI Brown…yeah, LVPD's finest! Saves the worrrrlllld!" she slurred before breaking out into the Mighty Mouse theme song, "**_Here he comes to save the day!"_**

Jared was about to push Warrick back, even though he wasn't all that sure he could take this tall man, but then he heard the words coming from the drunken girl's mouth. He stood still and stared at Warrick, then looked at Trista and back to Warrick.

"You're a cop? **Oh FUCK THIS SHIT**!" he yelled shaking his head. "YOU can have the tramp…" he said and took off fast out of the alley.

Warrick was seething mad that the little yuppie punk called Trista a tramp but he let it go.

He instead turned back to Trista.

Warrick crouched down next to her and grabbed her from under her armpit lifting her up with ease. He had her on her feet just as she pulled her arm out of his grip and pushed him.

"Fuck you, Warrick! You coming there for followin' me now? Come all here and shit" she yelled not exactly making sense.

"Come on, Honey, I am gonna get you…"

"**I'M NOT YOUR HONEY!" **she screamed at him.

Those words seem to wake Trista right up. It was as if Warrick hit a trip wire and a bomb went off.

"Whoa, I just meant…"

"NO! NO! YOU THINK I'M YOUR HONEY…YOU THINK THAT BECAUSE YOU FUCKED ME…AND YOU WANT TO AGAIN…I'M NOT YOUR …I CAN'T BE YOUR ANYTHING…NOT ANYTHING…FUCK WITH MY HEAD…IN IT…YOU CAN'T BE IN IT!" she jumbled some of her words.

"Trista, stop it!" he said quietly trying to get her to lower her voice.

"Don't tell me what to do! Not listening anything to you! You…you don't own me…you don't know what and that's what…yeah!"

"WHATTTT? Trist, you don't even know what you are saying," he sighed loudly.

"I do to! I know, Warrick…I know that you can't make me love you because it ain't gonna happen!" she pointed at him.

Warrick felt the jab in his heart but he shook it off.

"That's fine, Hon…Trista," he corrected himself fast, "That's fine…don't love me…just come with me so I can get you home," he spoke softer, "You don't love me…I get it, but let me still take you home."

"Damn right I don't! I don't love you! I fucking don't love you, I said!" she protested.

"I got it…I got it…I'm sorry you are so upset…I'm sorry I let you see how much I love…" Warrick stopped short of finishing his sentence.

He nearly chocked on his own spit. _Was he about to tell her he loved her? _His body froze in shock and he could only stare at her with his mouth hanging open.

As drunk as Trista was, she heard him. She squinted her eyes and tilted her head slowly as if she was sizing him up, trying to understand if she heard him right.

"**NO! NO! NO!" **she shook her head. "You are a liar! You are a player and have been all your life, Warrick…you forget? I know you! You forget? I known you since we were teenagers… I know you! You don't love anybody but yourself…and your Baby Girl and your Tiny! You can't fool me, Warrick! You can't," she stumbled in her heated rant.

Warrick caught her as she tripped and she stiffened up.

He had a lump in his throat and he wasn't sure exactly why. Was it because he just realized how much he loved her? Was it because it broke his heart to see her in such an emotional state that she drank herself into a bad situation. She could have gotten hurt if he hadn't found her when he did. It made him sick to think of that prick's hands all over her. It hurt him that she was so hurt by his feelings for her…he didn't understand why it tore her up so much. But, he assumed it was because he made her so uncomfortable... because she didn't feel the same.

"Trista, I…I…."

"No! None of this 'I…I…I,' Warrick!" she mocked him. "I am not ice cream…"

"**What**?" Warrick said and furrowed up his face confused by her comment. "WHAT are you talking about?"

"You know it's true…you go through women like they are flavors of the week! I am just…I don't need this…I don't need to feel anything for you! I don't want to feel it when I see you…that feeling that makes me scared inside….I don't…and I DON'T! I WON'T…nope…I don't and no! no! no!"

"You don't have to, Trista…you don't have to…it's okay…" he whispered and she let him hold on to her to keep her steady.

"**I need them! I need Emma in my life!**" she jerked back and yelled letting tears fall down her cheeks now. **"Don't take that from me just because you want to try me out and then leave me!**

"Emma? What does my niece have to do with this?"

**"OUR niece…I AM ANN TESTA! ME! I AM ANN TESTA! I need that little girl in my life!"**

"You are not making sense, Trista, come on, let me get you to my truck."

"I AM! I am making sense! You'd hurt me...wouldn't work...Jules...she...YOU...How could I be around YOU again? How much pain it would cause…if you…just like Danny…my father…all of them…"

So many thoughts raced through Warrick's brain and they didn't stop until he realized he was just standing still staring at her.

"Trist, I…" he shook his head and took a deep breathe to clear his head, "I am gonna get you home and you are gonna be okay…you'll forget all about this."

Warrick hadn't seen Trista cry in years and seeing her so torn up pulled his heart apart. He knew she was drunk. Her sentences were all over the place but he was good at puzzles. He knew what it was she was saying.

"I don't want to go with you, Warrick! I am gonna go back inside and I am gonna dance. When I dance…I don't have to feel…No, wait, no…I am gonna go back inside, get another drink and then dance…" she re-thought her first plan and added some alcohol to her second one.

"Yeah? Well, hate to break it to ya, Sweetheart, but that door right there," he pointed and she turned her head to look, "…it's locked."

Trista scrunched up her face; she knew he was right.

"Well, to the other side then I will walk !" she mumbled before leaning down to pick up her purse that had long since been strewn all over the asphalt.

As she crouched down and began throwing her lipstick, her compact, and a few crumpled up receipts back into her purse, she wobbled and fell on to her knees. She felt the sting of the gravel and debris tear through her skin, but she didn't care. She continued to stay on her knees, allowing the tiny rocks and shards of broken bottles to grind themselves deeper through her skin. She would rather feel the hurt of the pavement than the pain in her heart.

Warrick bent down and picked up her wallet, a tiny sample bottle of perfume, one of Emma's hair bows, two crumpled up ten dollar bill, and her keys and threw them back in her purse. As he closed her purse for her their eyes meet and lock. He wanted to touch her face and kiss her but he wouldn't dare do that to her anymore. He wouldn't make her hurt by feeling so pressured like he did before. He upset her enough. And so, he swallowed his feelings, and stood back up.

Trista looked up from her purse and her stare met his green eyes. She wanted to reach out and touch his cheek but her arms were too numb. She wanted to feel his amazing kiss again but the pain in her knees did exactly what she was hoping it would do…it made her focus on the pain of the gravel and broken glass digging into her skin instead of the pain of her feelings digging into her heart. And so, she swallowed her feelings and went to stand up…but instead…she fell over.

"Whoa, whoa, hey," Warrick said grabbing her.

He didn't even noticed that her knees were scrapped, gashed, and bleeding. He just managed to grab her under her arms and pull her to her feet. Once he got her on her feet, she began her tirade again and he smiled softly at her.

"Why are you smiling, Dumbass?" she yelled. "Is this funny to you? Move, I am walking to the front of this place."

"Trista, you can't even stand, never mind walk!"

"Shut up…you don't know shit, Asshole," she told him.

She tried to move but she tripped out of her sandals, nearly falling flat on her face.

Warrick shook his head and did what he should have done twenty minutes ago. He grabbed her waist, threw her up over his shoulder and let her dangle behind him. She was too drunk to protest anymore. He held her with his one arm and reached up and pulled her dress down over her butt to keep it from showing as he walked with her. He reached down, grabbed her sandals and took her with him back to his truck. His only worry at that point was to get her back to his truck without someone thinking he was a rapist or kidnapper.

He sighed loudly at that thought, "Trista, you are really making me pay for my sins here, Girl," he shook his head nervously but continued walking out of the ally.

Trista didn't make a sound even when he leaned her softly against his truck, opened the door, and placed her gently on the seat. He threw her purse and sandals onto the floor in front of her and closed the door. As he got into the driver's side of his truck he blew out a sigh of relief. Maybe he was just being paranoid from all the crimes he has looked over, but he couldn't help but think he was lucky that no one was around to see him put a barely conscious young lady into his vehicle.

"You're gonna get me locked up, Trist," he whispered as he looked over at her.

He smiled softly at her sleeping face, reached over and let the back of his index finger stroke the side of her cheek.

"…your just lucky I love you."

He stared at her, knowing it was the first time in many, many years that he said those words.

He loved her.

He admitted it.

And he looked at her and shook his head and whispered….

…."There…I said it...and it's true."


	99. Superman

I do not own CSI or their characters.

Rated T or M - depending on your views of profanity and adult themes.

**I am making up for holding out on your for so long, huh!**

**Here is yet ANOTHER chapter.**

**I just couldn't leave you hanging...**

**What is Warrick going to do with this drunken Trista?**

**Read on to find out and keep reviewing...how hard is it? **

**If you think you can't review because you are just a lurker ,then open account! **

**You won't get spammed or revealed as a lurker...so DO IT! **

**If you like my story then you will! And then you can review and show me the love!**

* * *

As Warrick drove, he let the music play softly. He didn't want to keep it loud because he was sure her head had to be splitting. She drank a lot; he knew she did. She drank so much he wondered if she would be okay. He thought back to his sister's house and decided he did not see her eat anything. He wondered if maybe she did and he just didn't see it.

He stopped at a red light and continued to ponder the thought of how much alcohol she consumed and if her stomach was empty or not. It mattered to him because he was trying to decide if she was bad enough to get her to the emergency room or if he should just force her to eat or at least drink gallons of water to flush her system. As he waited for the light to turn green, he looked down at his white shirt. He looked closer. And, with the light from the street lamp peering inside his truck, he saw two large blood stains. His eyes opened wide and he jerked his head back in shock.

_"I'm fuckin' bleedin'? How can I be bleedin'? I didn't…" _he gasped and whipped his head toward Trista.

He hadn't thought that maybe that jerk off DID hurt her. He reached up and clicked his interior light. Once the inside was illuminated he could see her knees…they were torn apart and blood had leaked all the way down the front of her shins dripping onto her ankles. He thought he might even see glass fragments embedded in her wounds.

"Ohhh Trist, oh God, baby, what have you done to yourself?" he whispered; he almost wanted to cry.

She was a mess.

"I can't take you back to my sister's like this, you know that, right?" he said knowing she couldn't answer him. "She takes one look at you, blood all down your legs…oh no, uh-uh….you'll have her in tears with her hormones going crazy… she will **not **be thinking' like herself…no way…Nick's already got his hands full with her tonight."

Warrick drove on but, remembering he had thrown Trista's keys in her purse, he quickly turned right and headed to Trista's house instead of making the left toward Nick and Jules'. As he made his way through the side streets, Warrick grabbed his cell phone and called his sister. The phone rang a only twice before Jules picked it up sounding out of breath.

"**WARRRICK**?" she said anxiously, "**DID YOU FIND HER**?"

"Yes, Baby Girl, I got her," he sighed.

"IS SHE OKAY? OH MY GOD!" she said with her voice cracking, "_**HE FOUND HER**_!" she yelled. "MY GOD, WARRICK, IT TOOK YOU FOREVER, I'VE BEEN CALLING YOU!"

"Sorry, I left my phone in the truck…but no worries, I got her…she got herself into a little bit of tr…" he stopped short realizing he shouldn't tell her that.

"_**WHAT? WHAT DID YOU SAY? LET ME TALK TO HER, WARRICK, WHY ISN'T SHE ON THE PHONE? IS SHE OKAY? REALLY? TELL ME! I PROMISE I WON'T GET UPSET!"**_

Warrick made a face on the other end of the phone as if to say _"yeah, right, like I believe that one!" _but he didn't have to even answer her because he heard Nick yell in the background.

"**CALM DOWN NOW! Give me that phone!" **

"_**NO, stop it, Nick**_!" she argued.

"Hey, hey, don't you two start fighting over this, Baby Girl…I got her…**she's fine**. **So RELAX!"** he told her agreeing with Nick.

"Okay, all right," she breathed deep and then slowly and calmly added, "Let me talk to her."

"Not gonna happen tonight," he said.

"**WHY? She is NOT okay is she? What is wrong with her…is she sick? Is she hurt? Why did she leave here? Did you ask her? NICK! STOP IT!" **she gave in to her panic and yelled.

Warrick immediately heard her fighting with Nick for the phone.

Soon, he heard Nick's voice.

"Rick, ya got her? What happened?" he asked concerned.

"Can't tell you now…I got her and I ain't bringing her to Captain Hormones, over there, I can tell you that right now," Warrick sighed knowing the blood covered legs of her inebriated best friend would have Jules in tears.

"Scale?" Nick said knowing Warrick would know he was asking how bad a shape was Trista in.

"Oh, well, uhhh, at least she's safe…**but **she's a ten in the drunk department, Bro. Tell my sister she is fine and I'm taking her back to her house since it's closer."

"NICK! Please let me talk to my brother! **Please, **I want to talk to him!"

Warrick could hear his sister still panicking and, truthfully, he couldn't blame her after what he witnessed tonight. She obviously knew something was wrong…Warrick knew how close she was with Trista, and he figured she could probably feel it.

He heard Nick talking to her.

"You'll be calm?"

"Yes, I will, I will…" she said to Nick before getting the phone back, "Warrick?" Jules said pretending to be calm again.

"Yesssss, Baby Girl," he answered.

"So Trista is fine, you promise?"

"Stop, she's fine. I am taking her home though…" he cringed.

"**WHY? Warrick PLEASE TELL ME THE TRUTH! You're really scaring me…OH NO! Did she get into a fight? Is she beat up? OH GOD…DID SOMEONE…" **she gasped at the thought of her being raped or abused.

Jules couldn't help the panic she felt…she knew it wasn't just her hormones…there was something wrong with her best friend and she felt it deep in her bones.

"No, Baby Girl, she is good but…," Warrick thought of an excuse fast, "I gotta tell you the truth…she is pretty drunk and I am afraid she will puke in my truck soooo I am going to just take her home because it is closer…I am gonna make her eat a little something, throw her in bed, and bring her to your house in the morning," he said knowing it wasn't all that far from the truth. "She is fine, okay. Fine…You know I'll take care of the pain in the ass."

Warrick knew he needed to play it off…if he was too consoling to Trista, Jules would know he was actually worried.

"Oh, okay…"she sighed, relieved he was calling her names which it meant it couldn't be something all that horrible.

"Bye , Baby Girl," he told her and hung up before she could press him for any more details.

* * *

Jules hung up the phone and pressed it to her bottom lip in deep thought. She could feel the glare and she looked over. Nick was staring at her with disapproval.

"WHAT?" she asked defensively.

"You get yourself so friggen worked up it is unbelievable….not to mention not healthy for you or the babies!" he lectured.

"Nick, don't start with me, please…you just don't understand…go drink your beer, feel all bad ass, and get off my back," she said and put the phone back on the charger.

Nick sighed. He was pissed. True, the alcohol had a lot to do with his tolerance level being lowered but he worried about her. And the alcohol made him worry about her even more.

"Look, Babe, you don't realize how worked up you're…" he began but Jules cut him off.

"How much **I GET worked up**? Look at you! If I fucking burp and you run and ask me if I'm okay…if I sit down you act like I have fucking preeclampsia for God's sake! You're an annoying, pain in my ass!" she flung a dishtowel over toward the sink.

Nick rolled his eyes. "I do not do that!"

"Yeah, okay, Stokes…you're right…you're always right!" she yelled.

"I am not always right…I just don't like seeing you get so scared about Trista!" he said loudly.

"Um, hello? Did you not see how drunk she was? Did **YOU **not take a bottle of Tequila out of her hand? Wasn't it **YOU **who said she was **drowning in it**? Did she not take a fucking cab to a bar and then go missing for a couple **hours**? Oh, I'm sorry, but I have a right to be concerned if my friend is dead in a gutter…or raped in an alley!" she yelled having no idea how accurate she almost was.

"**Stop worrying about everyone else!" **Nick insisted not backing down.

"Take your own advice…and stop worrying about **ME**!"

"HAA! That will **never** happen, Sunshine," he said with an attitude.

"Whatever, Superman…do what you want but don't tell me how to act or feel…" she said quietly and walked out of the kitchen and went into the bathroom.

Nick threw his arms up in the air and stormed into the backyard to get himself another beer.


	100. Here and Now

I don't own CSI

Rated M

**Guess I have to catch up on what happens once Warrick rescues Trista from the alley, right?**

**Ok then, here ya go...a nice long chapter that should make my Warrick & Trista fans happy.**

**This is a Warrick & Trista ONLY chapter.  
**

**As for my Nick & Jules fans...no worries...they will be following right behind this.**

**Please give me feedback on Warrick & Trista...love it or leave it?**

**Review...because I need it.**

* * *

He leaned over the console and grabbed her purse off the floor. Digging through it he found her keys and tossed her purse back on the floor by her feet. He groaned as he got out of his truck and he walked up the dark walkway, up the stairs, and to her front door. Once he opened it, he tossed her keys on the little table in the foyer, and leaned in to turn on the porch light to guide his way for when he brought her inside. Leaving the door open, he turned and walked back to his truck. Warrick grabbed his own keys from the ignition and slammed the door before walking around to the other side to get Trista out of his truck.

"_Sure hope you listen to me or we are going to get that stomach pumped, Ann Testa," _he told her quietly knowing she couldn't grasp what he was saying.

He looked at her for a second and shook his head sadly before he pulled her out of the passenger's seat and up over his shoulder. He made sure to pull her dress down as he walked with her up the walkway. He knew no one see it, but he just felt like he needed to keep her dignity as best as he could. Just as he got to her front door he remembered he left her purse and phone in his truck and so he turned around, and clicked the alarm to lock his truck.

Warrick carried her into her house and continued his lecture.

"_You're gonna either throw up, eat something, or flush yourself out with fluids…you cannot drink yourself unconscious and expect me to hope you wake up…uh-uh, nope…not a chance," _he grumbled the entire way.

Kicking the door shut with his foot, he was carried her inside. Flipping on the light with his elbow he looked around. Her small townhouse was decorated with Trista flair and he liked it. He wasn't sure when he had been there last but whenever it was he never noticed the décor or how nice it smelled. It smelled like candles or scented lotion or something feminine and pretty. He looked into her living room and decided to put her down on the couch.

He sat her upward and said, "Hey, Hey, Trist," as he knelt on his knees in front of her to keep her from falling over.

"Trista, listen to me…you listening to me?"

"Hhhhmm" was the only sound she made.

"Trista, look at me…**look at me**…" he rubbed the sides of her upper arms.

"Stop it, Warrrrrrick…leave me alone," she grumbled and pushed him away.

"No, you have three choices…you eat and drink for me, you puke, or we go to the ER…what's it gonna be?

"Fuck off."

"No way, Trista, I mean it," he ignored her cursing him.

"_**Warrrrick, leave meeee alone**_!"

Warrick didn't listen. He reached up, cupped the side of her face and opened her eye with his thumb and index finger to get a look at her pupil dilation.

"Okay, no…uh-uh, I don't like what I'm seeing…get up…let's go…I cant take a chance with you, sweetheart," he decided, "I should have fucking done this before," he admitted, stood up in front of her, and prepared to get her to the hospital.

"**NOOOO**!" Trista cried out, "Why can't ya just leave me alone, Warrick, please…"

"You listen to me, Trist…you are on the verge of alcohol poisoning…**Do you hear me!** Trust me…you got three choices…choose one or I make it for you, got it?"

Trista gives him a shaky nod and Warrick goes into her kitchen. He looks through a couple cabinets before finding the one with the glasses. He grabs a large, red, plastic, cup, fills it with water, and brings it back to her.

"Drink this…all of it."

"I can't"

"_**TRISTA**_! Drink it!"

She listens to him and drinks nearly all of it.

"I can't anymore," she says to him.

Warrick looks in the cup, felt satisfied, and pulls her up off the couch.

"Where?" is all she could say.

"Come on, Sweetheart, this will help, I promise," he says and takes her into the bathroom, kneeling her in front of the toilet.

* * *

Warrick spent an hour with her in that bathroom. He got her to stick her finger down her throat which got the ball rolling and she vomited over and over again. He held her hair back as she threw up her liquor, he rubbed her back as she heaved, and he sat with her on the cold tile floor as she slumped limply in his arms.

She had fallen asleep in his arms in that small bathroom and he took that opportunity to deal with her deep wounds on her knees. He rested her in the corner between the wall and the bathtub and pulled her legs out in front of her as her head wobbled to the side. He looked under the sink and grabbed the first aid kit. He smiled when he opened it and spotted the princess band-aids inside; he knew then that she had this kit for Emma.

"_Just another reason I love you_," he whispered. He loved how much she loved Emma.

Kneeling back on the floor in front of her, he cringed when he saw how badly hurt she was. The cuts were deep and he spent a long time tediously removing every shard of glass and gravel from each wound. Trista never moved; she was oblivious to the pain. Warrick took good care of her and by the time he was done, her legs were wiped of all blood, and her knees were cleaned, disinfected and well bandaged. So, he leaned his back against the wall and scooped her back into him and let her sleep in his arms for a little while longer.

He stared at the ceiling as she slept and thought about how far his feelings had come since the first time they hooked up. He never expected this. It was true that he had helped Trista out of trouble, or jams, or whatever she got herself into, but he did it with a different kind of feeling behind it. He had always cared very, very, much about her, even when they fought like cats and dogs, but now, as he sat with her curled in his arms, damp with perspiration, he felt something he didn't think he had ever felt before. He didn't want to snap at her, yell at her, give her a nasty dig. He didn't want to throw her in bed, make sure she was fine, and call it a night. No, he wanted to hold her and never let her go. It was a very strange feeling for Warrick and he wasn't sure if he was happy about feeling it.

As he continued looking at the ceiling in deep thought, he felt her stirring and looked down at her. He lifted her head by her chin and made her look up at him; he wanted to see her eyes again.

"How ya feelin' now?" he asked her softly feeling relieved that her eyes were dilating properly.

"I think I'm dying," she mumbled and sat up.

Trista felt so weak and sick but she was grateful that at least the room finally stopped spinning. She looked up at Warrick again and gave him a look of confusion.

"How did I get here and why are you here with me?"

"Does it matter?"

"No, I guess not," she mumbled and flopped back into his arms.

Warrick wasn't ready to let go of her just yet so he stroked her dampened hair for a little while longer before finally telling her he would be right back. Leaving her propped against the wall, he went back into the living room and grabbed the nearly empty cup of water from the table next to the couch and walked into the kitchen to get her more.

As he headed down the hallway, he sighed a sigh of relief that he got her through that ordeal. It was rough. She was in bad shape and she really did scare him more than she will ever know. But he was not prepared for what he would see when he walked into that bathroom with the cup of water in his hand.

He was shocked by what he saw before him. So shocked, in fact, that he actually dropped the plastic cup on the floor, splashing water everywhere.

"**TRISTA**!" he yelled.

There she stood, stripped down completely, wearing nothing but bandages on her knees, leaning over to turn on her shower. His mouth fell open and his eyes betrayed him and looked her up and down with carnal desire.

She looked back at him.

"Oh, I forgot you were here," she mumbled, felt the water's temperature, and looked back at him without even attempting to cover herself.

Warrick stood frozen.

"You dropped your water," she informed him.

"You can't take a shower!" he yelled ignoring her observation.

"Why the fuck not? I am gross! I feel dirty! I puked! Ewww, I gotta shower!" she wobbled left and right and then began to fall over.

Warrick caught her naked body in his arms before she hit the hard bathroom tiles.

"Whoa, that was a close one huh, Homeboy?" she giggled.

"Yeah, yeah it was," he smiled at her.

Warrick knew when she began calling him names that she would be okay. He also knew he could not hold that stunningly perfect naked body in his arms for much longer without getting noticeably aroused. So, he brought her back to her feet making sure she was balanced and steady.

"Hey, Trist, I just got your knees all bandaged…come on…do you really have to shower?" he pleaded actually worried she could not stand in that shower alone.

"You're bleeding, Warrick, did you know that?" she said oblivious to her own bandages or what it was he was trying to tell her. "Wow, that sucks…is that from work? Did you forget to change your dead body covered shirt?" she squished up her face not remembering that he hadn't even been working. "I don't know how you and Stokes do it…all that deadness…dead people…dead, bloody, heads and arms and chunks and fingers…." she rambled on and on.

"Trista, listen, rinse yourself down and I will help you, but you're gonna just get in and quickly get out…" he ignored her death ramble.

"Big dead heads, ugly dead heads, lady heads…WHOA! Bet you found an arm! Yeah, you found an arm _**without **_the rest of the body, right? But everything bloody and dead…dead…dead…"

"Did you hear me or are you on a decedent kick?"

"A decedent? Call it what it is…dead. And you have dead body blood on you, Homey…and that's gross."

Warrick helped her toward the shower ignoring her completely. He didn't even bother to tell her that the blood she was referring to was her own.

"Just get in and stop worrying about my job with death, okay? Just get in and I will help you. You are gonna make it fast, ya ready?"

"You're funny, Warrick," she giggled, "…like you can tell me what to do!"

Warrick's eyes betrayed him again and they scanned over her breasts and down to her neatly shaven vagina. _"Oh God, this is killing me…I've never been with a naked chick and not banged her…." _he groaned silently to himself.

But instead of making any moves, Warrick opened the shower curtain and held her arm as the water sprayed over her. Although he was afraid she would see the hard-on he was sporting just from watching the water and soap suds glisten over her sensuous body, he still reused to let go of her. He held onto her and made sure she didn't fall out or hit her head and, in the process of keeping her steady, which wasn't an easy task, he became soaking wet himself.

"I don't think I can do this anymore, Warrick," she slurred with a whine and went to sit down.

"I told you, Trista! No, no, no! Don't sit…"

"Don't yell at me, Warrrrrick!" she grumbled.

"**_UGHHHH!_**" he yelled out, "…then come here, ya got soap all in your hair."

He leaned her against the shower wall to keep her steady as he rinsed the shampoo out of her hair. In order to do that, he had to lean one knee on the edge of the bathtub and lean forward halfway into the tub.

By the time the brilliant shower idea Trista had was finished, Warrick's shirt was saturated and her bandages were soaked too.

* * *

Wrapping her in a towel and walking her down the hall to her room, he looked through her drawers to find her something to wear to bed. He looked at the tiny little nightgowns she had in her top drawer and his heart pounded. He took a deep breath, grabbed a red one and turned to hand it to her.

"Ohhh, Trist," he gasped when he saw her shivering. Her towel had fallen to the floor and she was standing up by leaning against the wall.

"I don't care, Warrick…you've seen me naked before, you think I forgot?" she slurred, "_I wish I could…,"_ she whispered the last sentence.

Warrick heard her but he didn't answer her. He picked up the towel at her feet and wrapped it back around her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder to walk her to the bed but she turned her body toward him suddenly and grabbed his face with both hands, pulled him to her and kissed him passionately. Her towel fell to the floor once again. His fingers trailed down her soft back.

Warrick wasn't sure how long that kiss lasted, but he knew it was long enough to give him another hard-on but short enough to let it go farther.

"Whoa, whoa, Trista…stop!" he stopped her and pulled away.

"What?" she said.

"You don't want this…stop,"

"I kissed ya didn't I!" she giggled.

"Trista, come on…let me get this on you…" he said and pulled the nightgown over her head.

"You gonna put my panties on too, Homeboy? Or you want me to keep them off for **you**?"

Warrick ignored her and grabbed a pair of underwear from her dresser.

"Here," he tossed them to her.

She fumbled to get them on and nearly fell over; he knew he had to help her. He stood in front of her, grabbed each side of the panties and slid them upward. Their eyes locked as he pulled them up. No words were spoken; they just stared silently never taking their eyes off each other.

Without warning she hopped up on her bed, knelt in front of him making herself eye level with him now. She leaned in and kissed him letting her hands roam his shoulders.

Warrick jerked away.

He stared at her and she stared back.

"Your shirt is wet, Dumbass," she laughed drunkenly.

"I know."

"Take it off."

"I will…later."

"How about now…let me help you…" she growled seductively and began to pull his shirt up over his head.

It was killing him.

He wanted her so bad he could taste it.

She was so drunk she couldn't possibly know what she wanted anymore. Before he knew it he heard his soaked shirt slap to the floor. He stood in front of her shirtless.

Trista reached her hands out and trailed her fingers down his chest. Again there was silence as he closed his eyes as she traced circles around his muscular chest.

Trista was the first to break the silence between them.

"Want me to be your Honey again tonight, Rick?" she said seductively.

That word "honey" snapped Warrick back to reality. It brought him back from the brink of losing his self control.

"Whatttt?" he stumbled get that one word out.

"You heard me…I know what you want…so let's go…trust me, I want you too…"

Warrick closed his eyes again for a minute, shook his head, leaned down and grabbed his shirt up off the floor. He looked at her again.

"Go to bed, Trista," he snapped.

"Don't be so mean to me, Warrick," she whispered sadly.

"I'm not…I just cant do this…I don't think of you as a 'Honey'…I told you that."

"_Warrick_…" she whispered looking hurt.

"Hey, it's not your fault…you're drunk," he sighed when he saw the hurt in her eyes, "Look, I'm **not **mad at you…here get under the covers," he said holding up the blankets for her to crawl under.

He watched her scoot under them, and covered her, "Listen, I'm not leaving you tonight…I will be on the couch right down the hall okay? You call for me if you need me, okay?" he nodded and turned to walk out.

Trista grabbed his arm and clutched it.

"Don't leave me," she begged.

"I won't... I will be right on your couch, I promise."

"_**NO**_! Just…don't leave me…" she choked up.

Her words sounded much more vulnerable than just asking him to stay. He wondered if those words meant more than she wanted him to know.

"Trista…I will be…"

"Warrick, don't…don't leave me…don't walk out….stay with me...," her eyes pleaded with his.

Without saying another word, Warrick climbed shirtless on the bed and laid himself down on the covers next to her.

He draped his arm over her and whispered back to her.

_"I'm won't leave you, Trist, I promise you…I won't leave…."_


	101. Sliding Doors

I do not own CSI.

Rated T

**I'm noticing a drop in traffic which has me wondering if perhaps I need to wrap this story up and put it to rest.**

**Maybe it's too long or drawn out now?  
**

**ooooo************oooooo************ooooo**

**As promised, here is a long, Nicky & Jules centered chapter.**

**Jules and Nick have been arguing back and forth...**

**Will it continue on into the night?**

**(*Please: Read, review, repeat...thanks!)**

* * *

She stood on the step outside the sliding glass doors and looked out into her yard. Many of their friends had already gone home but there were still several scattered around. It was really a beautiful night; the air was warm but the breeze was cool which made it perfect. She liked tiki torches she had asked Nick to set up and light before their friends arrived. They gave off a calm, beautiful, glow around the pool. She was able to appreciate it now that she knew her best friend was safe with her brother and her fears were for nothing.

Jules felt a little embarrassed at how scared she was. She just couldn't seem to make Nick understand that her insides were screaming that there was trouble. She knew Nick blamed it on her hormones but it wasn't true…it couldn't be true…that feeling, that instinct, it was too strong to not be real, and yet, it wasn't real because Warrick said Trista was fine. She wanted to make Nick understand but the truth was _**she **_wasn't even sure why she had such a bad feeling. She knew Trista has been drunk in bars before, but there was something about this night that had her worried. Maybe it was because _**something **_had gotten Trista very upset or else she wouldn't have left their BBQ. It just didn't make sense. Something was wrong and had Warrick not told her Trista was fine and in his care, Jules would still not be able to shake the bad feeling tied to all of this.

Her eyes scanned the backyard until it fell upon the one person she had been hoping to find…Nick. She felt bad that she and Nick had been arguing. She didn't want to be his buzz kill and she knew she had to have been. She watched him putting glass bottles into a big, black, plastic, garbage bag that he held in his hand as he walked around. _"You always were the neat one, Cowboy…even when you're liquored up," _she said to herself and smiled inwardly.

Jules knew Nick was probably still annoyed and upset with her. He hadn't really said much to her since she told him he was an asshole, and not to mention the argument they had when Warrick was on the phone. She really didn't have to talk to him like that, and especially not in front of Catherine. Of course Catherine wouldn't care, but still, she knew Nick wouldn't be happy about it.

She felt bad, and bit her bottom lip as she looked for him. She could be tough about a lot of things, but the one thing that made her sappy and sensitive was when Nick was angry or annoyed with her. She hated it. Of course, it never stopped her from arguing or fighting with him, but it always made her feel incredibly sad once she calmed down.

"_I hate it that you have me wrapped around your finger, Cowboy," _she grumbled silently as she watched him.

Before she met Nick, she could have an argument and not think twice about it. In fact, even when she and any of her old boyfriends would have a blow out brawl, she would never be sensitive like she was with Nick. It pissed her off in a weird way. She liked having a tough skin and being the type that let things roll off her. She liked being able to say "fuck off" and not think twice about it. She had definitely not been one to wilt easily and yet her husband could make her weak just by the look in his eyes.

Nick's eyes were definitely her weakness. If they looked happy, she smiled. If they looked hurt, she felt it. If they looked angry, she hated it. His eyes told her tonight he was adamant and pissed…and now she wanted to find those eyes and make sure they smiled at her again.

Jules continued to watch him from the patio. She was secretly hoping he would look over at her, and his eyes would smile back. And so, she watched him and waited.

_"Ohhhh you know I'm watching you, don't you, Handsome…"_ she twisted her lips and squinted in thought. _"You knew I would come around looking for you, didn't ya…" _she continued to grumble. "_You're still an asshole, ya know…AND don't ever tell me what to do either…," _she fought with him in her mind, _"but you were right, Superman." _

She knew he was right; she hated that too.

* * *

He saw her open the sliding glass doors and come outside but he looked away quickly. He also checked her out for a split second as she turned and closed the sliders.

"_You little spitfire…you know you make me crazy," _he thought silently and continued to toss beer bottles into a garbage bag, _"Damn, woman, when you gonna learn to stop fightin' me? I'm always gonna be protective of you, Baby!" _he yelled at her silently.

Nick noticed out of the corner of his eye that she was still standing next to the sliding glass doors and he knew then that she was looking for him. He also knew, by the way she came looking for him, that she wanted to make up with him…she didn't like it when he was pissed off at her.

"_Hah haaa" _Nick laughed his "Stokes" laugh in his head…He made sure he didn't laugh out loud, because even with too many beers in him, he still knew better than to ever let her see him laugh with victory. After all, Jules might weaken for him when she thinks she's wrong, but damn, she could shoot him down cold if he laughed in her face victoriously.

Nick didn't like fighting with her either, but he wanted her to calm down and he was adamant that she would **not **be traipsing off looking for her drunken best friend at bars in Las Vegas. He didn't care what she said… he had put his foot down, and she could call him an asshole or anything else she could think of, but the fact remained his pregnant wife did not belong out there searching when Warrick could do it on his own. Granted, he wasn't thrilled to be called names, not to mention in front of people, but he could handle it…and he could handle her.

Nick took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He knew it was true that he could handle her but…she also had him wrapped around her finger. He wished that she didn't but the truth was she could make him melt just my her smile and her laugh would make him forgive her for anything…well, almost.

Nick could feel her still watching him but he kept looking around for bottles and tossing them into his plastic bag. He held back his smirk. He really wasn't angry with her anymore, but he knew she was thinking he still might be…he could feel it. The alcohol in him wondered if he could use this to his advantage…

"_Oh you're evil, Stokes," _he smirked and tossed another bottle into the bad. _"Jules is right, all you ever wanna do is get her in the sack!"_

It was true, he couldn't deny that one…his favorite thing in the world seemed to be holding her naked in his arms and making love to her until his body explodes. He couldn't help it. It had been that way since the day they found each other and there didn't seem to be any end in sight…which he thought was a good thing…a very good thing.

* * *

Jules sighed and continued to watch him as Nick leaned over, tied the top of the garbage bag and placed it over by the white fence to be gathered up later. She wondered if he would finally let her see his eyes…he didn't. She wasn't sure if he did it on purpose because he was pissed, or if he simply didn't see her, so she continued to stand there and watch him. And when Nick still made no eye contact with her, she lost the fight completely, and went to him.

He heard her flip flops slapping as she came closer to him. He was leaning over the little white side table, peering into the citronella candle to see if it was still lit inside.

"Don't burn that eyeball, I happen to live for those eyes," she said as he was peeking into the candle jar.

Nick looked back at her and gave her a nod upward and then looked back at the candle.

Jules thought that there was a very good chance that Nick was indeed still pissed off at her. She walked up closer and stood behind him. When he didn't turn, she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his back. She took comfort in holding him with her hands resting on his stomach, but even more so when he covered the top of her hands with his hand.

"You mad at me?" she asked him softly.

"Why?"

"You know why," she rolled her eyes behind him.

"Ohhhh, you mean for being an **ASSHOLE**?" he said obnoxiously, "Or because I am an annoying, wanna-be Superman, Bad Ass?"

"Uh huh, all of that," she smirked.

He turned to face her and she backed up a step to look him in the eyes.

"I'm **NOT **being an asshole, Babe," he frowned.

"I know…but come on, don't be a big baby about it!" she said with her defenses suddenly kicking up.

"A baby? Hmmm, is this your idea of an apology for calling me names in front of my colleague?"

Jules bit her bottom lip and thought about that before answering.

"Um, I guess that's not a great apology, huh?"

"Not even a little," he said and gave her the "little bit" sign with his thumb and finger like their daughter does.

"Not even a tiiiiny bit?" she did the same.

Nick pressed his lips together, squished up his cheeks a bit and shook his head, "Uh-uh…nope."

"Sorry?" she said with a questioning tone.

"Mmm, I guess your getting a little better," he smirked slightly.

"Ughhh," she groaned.

She knew he was going for a **real **apology.

"I'm kinda sorry?"

"Yeah, ya see, now I'm **not **thinking that's good _**at all**_," he shook his head while looking down.

"Okay, okay," she said trying not to smile.

It was more of a game now rather than real animosity.

"Nick…Oh, my Nicholas Stokes, my love, my life, the one who gives me hope…to carry on…would you forgive me for using profanity instead of your real name?"

"What else?"

"Oh, Nicky, my hero, could you ever forgive me for telling you to back off, and cursing at you?"

"Why should I?" he smirked devilishly.

"Ummm, because you know I am sorry?" she questioned.

"But…I'm wounded…you hurt me…" he smiled a school boy smile, "You, you hurt my feelings."

He tried not to smile.

"Ohhhhh, noooo, nooooo, oh my big, handsome, man…" she said in a mothering voice, "Did I hurt your feelings? I'm so sorry, Bayyybeee" she smiled.

"Well, you need to make me feel better…" he smiled back.

"Ohhhhh, here we go," she sighed.

Nick held his hand out to her.

Jules took his hand and moved into him.

He wrapped his arms around her and she did the same. She rested her cheek on his chest and he rested his chin on her head as they both continued to talk softly to one another.

"So, you are looking for me to heal your wounded pride?" she asked.

"I don't know if I would say my pride was wounded, but it wasn't nice the way you spoke to me," he laughed softly thinking about it.

"_**I **_wasn't very nice? How about **you **ordering me around?" she looked up at him.

"Well, I think we need to have a serious little chat about our behavior tonight then…maybe we should be sent to our room?"

"How did I know this would end up in the bedroom?"

"Ohhhh, so you think I'm just looking for a little somethin' somethin'? Is that what you're saying? You call me an asshole, an annoying pain in the ass, and now accuse me of being a pervert? Oh no, no, no" he laughed while shaking his head.

"Okay, forget it then."

"Oh and now she's being a hard ass?" Nick nodded sarcastically.

"No, your just a drunken crybaby…" she laughed.

"Oh, okay, okaaay, I see where you're goin' with this…callin' people names…having a little tantrum, causing a scene," he rattled off his list.

"**WHAT**!" she gasped **"I did not! You are such a whiner!"**

"Awwrightt, well ya know what then, wise ass?" he said in his thick southern drawl.

"Yea, Southern Boy?" she was teasing him now about how strong his accent is when he is drunk.

"Uh huh, Southern Boy now too? Well I think I'm fresh outta southern charm tonight, Sunshine," he said grabbing her by her waist and throwing her over his shoulder.

Their friends looked over at them when Jules screamed and they started to laugh.

Catherine yelled over, **"Oh Nicky, don't do it! Don't do it!" **she warned.

"**Do it, Nick! Do it!" **Greg yelled.

Slung up over his shoulder, Nick carried Jules into the pool area as she punched his back as they went.

"_**WHO HEARD MY WIFE HAVE A FIT ON ME INSIDE**_?" he announced boisterously to everyone in the yard.

"**Nicky, don't do it!**" Catherine said again.

"**I'M SORRRRRRY, YOU BIG PERFECT HUNK OF MAN YOU!" **she screamed laughing, **"NICKKKKK! SERIOUSLY, NICK! YOU BETTER NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!"**

"**Ya'll hear that? Remember what she said…I'm PERFECT!" **he yelled and tossed her into the deep end of their pool.

Jules bobbed back up after a second and screamed, **" NNNNIIIICCCKKKKK**!" she yelled**, "SEE! I TOLD YOU! YOU ARE SUCH AN ASSHOLE!"**

Leaning over with his hands on his knees, Nick cracked up laughing, .

"You won't be laughing later, Nicky," Catherine said shaking her head, "Bet you'll be sleeping on the couch now!"

Nick stood up straight and whipped his head around to look at Catherine. He hadn't thought about this affecting his sex life.

"Awww, man…" he whined, winced, and scratched the back of his neck.

* * *

Nick's back was turned as he looked at Catherine, so Jules jammed her hands forward in the water creating a large splash of water to fly at Nick.

He felt the cold water splash his back, soaking his shirt completely. He turned back to look at her and raised his eyebrow.

Reaching for the hem of his shirt, he pulled it up over his head and tossed it carelessly on the ground before diving into the pool to get her.

She screamed as he hit the water knowing she was in for an attack.

"**Nick! Nick, NO, NO!" **she said swimming away from him into the shallow end.

As she headed quickly for the stairs, she felt his arm hook around her waist and pulled her back into him.

"Hah HAAA, where you goin', my sexy, little, minx?"

"Nick!" she laughed.

"Come'mere" he said and pulled her into a heated kiss with one hand tangling into her wet hair and the other on the small of her back.

Jules intended on fighting him and making him stop, but his soft lips, and his teasing tongue, made her wrap her hands around his wet body and kiss him back with equal intensity.

"Ohhhh, here they go!" Natalie yelled over at them by the pool fence where she and Greg Sanders had been standing and talking together.

Jules didn't care who was watching their public display of affection. She continued their passionate kiss right there in their pool suddenly wishing the whole yard would be empty so she could wrap her legs around him and let her drunk husband have his way with her.

Once she finally put an end to their kiss, mostly for fear they would get far too carried away if she didn't, the two of them wrestled around and played like kids before Jules told him she felt like her clothes weighed a ton.

"You could always take them off," he smirked.

"Would you like me to show your buddies my new lace bra and thong?"

"You have a new lace bra and panties?" his face lit up.

"Yea, but, you missed the point!"

"Aw, you really are a buzz killer tonight, Baby," he laughed.

Jules just laughed, swiped her wet hair back out of her face, and kissed his cheek.

"I'm getting out, Handsome."

"I'm following' ya then," he nodded.

As they got out of the pool together they talked about being happy that everyone seemed to have a good time at their BBQ. Most of their friends had left already but there was still a handful still hanging out and having fun which was fine with Nick and Jules.

Jules leaned over, grabbed a towel, but Nick took it out of her hands and wrapped it around her, pulling her into him.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear.

Jules leaned up and whispered the same thing back to him except she added, "…and I'm sorry" at the end.

Nick smiled brightly...

and simply kissed her again.


	102. Too Tempting

I do not own CSI.

Rated M

**Ok readers, seriously? I have many readers and only a few reviews. KILLING ME!**

**Is the story too long? Should I continue? I wish I knew if I was wasting my time or not.**

**It's a good thing I like writing these people or I would have bailed in fear that I suck.**

**But, thanks to some faithful reviewers, I keep going...and going...**

**Here is a Nick & Jules Chapter**

**Nice and long and fun for my smut lovers...Enjoy!**

* * *

Jules went upstairs to change after the pool escapade she just had with Nick. She was completely drenched and she couldn't stand it; she had to peel her clothes off immediately. Jules sighed loudly as soon as she walked into her bedroom when she spotted her crumpled dress on the floor and the phone book open and thrown on her bed. It made her think about Trista and how she left so abruptly. It wasn't like her and it still bothered her.

"_You really bolted out of here, girl…you have to tell me what is going on with you!" _Jules said under her breath as she walked over to the nightstand and put the phone book back in the drawer. She then picked up her little gray dress that was balled up on the floor and continued to talk softly to her best friend that wasn't even there… "_What's going on with you, Trist? What has you so spooked that you feel you can't even tell ME? Something is wrong, and you need to tell me." _

Jules was in such deep thought that she didn't even notice the door open slowly.

"Who you talkin' to, Sunshine?"

Jules looked up from digging through her drawers for something to wear and was surprised to see that Nick had followed her up.

"Oh, no one, just talkin' to myself," she smiled at how he swayed as he walked in. "And what are you doin' staggering in here?" she asked as she leaned back over and continued to fish through her dresser drawers.

"I am not that drunk, Sunshine…I didn't _**stagger**_," he said closing the door behind him.

"No? Ohhhhkaaaay, if you say so," she mocked him.

Jules didn't notice how he was scanning her little body as the water dripped down her legs from the wet shorts she was still wearing. Without giving it much thought, Jules dropped her shorts. Suddenly, she realized he was watching her and she hesitated before taking down her panties. She stared at Nick and squinted her eyes at him.

He looked her up and down lustfully.

"Keep going…" he said and gave her a side smile.

"No way!" she stood upright, "We still have people downstairs, Nick!"

"_**So…you can't change your underwear with people in your house?" **_he smirked and walked over toward the bed.

"Noooo, because as soon as I take these off there is gonna be trouble…I can feel it, Cowboy," she tilted her head and gave him the 'knowing look'.

"Ohhh, you can _**'feel' **_it?" he looked at her body with desire.

"You know what I mean…. I can **see **it!" she rolled her eyes as he blatantly checked her out.

"Go ahead, I won't do nothin'…really, go ahead and take 'em off," he smirked, leaned against the bed post, crossed his arms in front of his chest, and watched her.

She looked over at him and squinted her eyes at him. "Nick, you know I've heard that 'I won't do nothing' line a thousand times, right?"

He smiled.

"No, this time I mean it…I'm not even thinking about how hot you are, seriously," he chuckled sarcastically and she rolled her eyes at him.

"Nicky, I am gonna take these off because, thanks to YOU, they are completely soaking wet…I am gonna take them off and put dry ones back ON…got it? Back ON…It is NOT an invitation!" she insisted as she watched for his answer.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it," he nodded and continued to watch her every move.

Jules began to drop her underwear down and as soon as the panties were half way down her thighs, she saw Nick untie the drawstring on his swim trunks.

"**NICK**!" she gasped and yanked them back up.

"What?" he smiled, "Ya ever think that maybe I wanna get out of **MY **wet bathing suit, Sunshine?" he said with his southern drawl still thicker than usual.

"Oh my God!" Jules looked up at the ceiling and pressed her hands together, "…WHAT AM I GONNA DO WITH THISSSS MANNNN!" she whined to God.

"Oooh, really? Ya want me to give ya some ideas?" Nick offered and moved toward her completely naked.

"**NICK**!" she laughed at him, "OH MY GOD! You are out of your mind, Cowboy, seriously! _**You agreed**_!"

"Yeah, **I agreed that I 'GOT IT', Baby!"** he smirked, "**and I do…look!" **he looked down referring to his enormous hard-on.

"YOU really are sick!" she laughed hard at him.

Jules didn't really want to make love to her husband like she was at a high school party and sneaking upstairs to make out with her boyfriend. It was ridiculous and she didn't want to do it…but she couldn't help but find him irresistible too. She was not shocked at how much she wanted him but she was shocked that she would even consider getting down and dirty with him with people downstairs. The thoughts they both were having were so ridiculously adolescent but… there was that element of getting caught that made it tempting.

She wasn't sure what the hell was the matter with her…was it his sexy body? His eyes? Those handsome features or his Texas accent that made her heart melt? Or was it simply because Nick Stokes had her under his spell and could make her weak in the knees just by the way he looked at her. It had to be a spell, because as silly as it was to get it on with her husband while guests are in their backyard, she found herself smirking back at him and grabbing the hem of her soaked shirt.

"Whoa, would ya look at this!" Nick smiled wide as she began to peel off her wet shirt. "Looks like I'm not the only one who likes this idea!"

"It's a crazy idea…it's stupid…I mean really, really, ridiculously embarrassing and, and…." she explained but he cut her off…

"Unstoppable?" he growled.

"Uh huh," she told him, dropping her wet t-shirt to the floor and walking over to him wearing only the coral, lace, bra and matching thong.

Nick's heart beat rapidly as he scanned her body. He loved that color next to her tan skin and blonde hair, and he was so anxious to get her in his arms. He reached forward and pulled her into him quickly, slamming her into his bare chest, igniting their fire instantly. Nick immediately attacked her mouth with his and fumbled with her bra at the same time. Once he got it unhooked he threw it to the floor next to her wet shirt. The two of them wildly roamed each other bodies with their hands as if in search for oxygen.

Nick wanted to tell her how hot she was and how it made him crazy when she surprised him with going along with unexpected, naughty, sex, but his mouth couldn't leave hers long enough to tell her. Even with a buzz on his head he knew it was so immature to be having sex during their own party going on downstairs, but, he couldn't help it, it was the thrill of getting caught that made it hotter. And it was HOT.

Pulling away for a minute she stepped back and wiggled her panties off; kicking them off her feet.

"Wooosh," Nick made the swooshing sound as he watched her panties come off.

They looked at each other and smiled wider when they heard the sounds of their friends still drinking, laughing, and hanging out in their backyard unaware of what was going on upstairs….which only added to the thrill.

"Oh, Baby, this is all kinds of wrong, isn't it," he laughed and went after her again.

"Oh it is, Nicky, it is…," she chuckled and kissed him passionately before adding, "You're a dirty man, Texas…a….dirty…dirty…man…" she laughed loudly and but it didn't stop him from nipping at her earlobes.

Jules couldn't resist him. She wished she could, especially under the circumstances, but it was no use…she would let him have his way with her while their friends were still downstairs. She especially wanted him after their little tiffs in the kitchen earlier. She really hated arguing with him, but she sure as hell loved making up with him.

"You have to…NO, I mean it, Nicky, you HAVE TO make it FAST…promise?" she pleaded with him as his hands caressed her naked body.

She knew him. He might not be fall down bombed, but that was only because he could hold his liquor well. But Jules also knew, that Nick gets more aggressive and wilder when he was on his way to being completely loaded.

"Com'mere, Baby," he said with his southern twang, pulling him into her roughly.

Their naked bodies entangled and the passion ensued. The fire they have when they fight is nothing compared to the fire they can light in the bedroom. They can get crazy into each other and it looked like at that very moment there was going to be fireworks inside their bedroom.

Nick's dick was rock solid and standing at attention and Jules could feel it pressing hard against her thigh as they kissed wildly. Suddenly, Nick grabbed Jules up off the ground by her hips and held her onto his waist. He instantly walked her over to their bed and slammed her down onto it. Crawling over her immediately, Nick didn't start with slow, loving strokes like he usually does. This time the alcohol made him get inside her without warning and he pumped in and out of her roughly as if he couldn't contain the animal magnetism he had for her.

"Ohhh, Goddd, Baby, I wanted to do this…. to you… all…. night," he grunted as he slammed into her hard.

Jules didn't think Nick could pound her any harder but, sure enough, as he told her how much he wanted to do this to her, he increased his pace and began fucking her even harder and faster. Jules had to close her eyes for a minute because, as she looked up at his face, she could see the lust and desire in his eyes and it made her want to scream out in ecstasy.

"Oh, Baby, you feel soooo gooood," he groaned loudly to her.

"Shhh, Nick, we gotta be quiet!" she giggled.

"Whoa, ohhh, but Honey, ohhhhh Baby…." he continued to enjoy himself to the fullest.

Nick suddenly crawled up higher on the bed, and got up on his knees in front of her.

"What are you gonna do to me, Texas?" she looked at him devilishly.

Nick just grinned an intoxicated grin and spread her legs into a 'V' by holding her ankles apart. He didn't waste any time, he slung her legs over his shoulders, inserted himself back inside her and began fucking her as hard and as fast as he could. Jules had to cover her mouth to keep herself from alerting the whole house that Nick could make her moan and scream like a porn star.

"Ohhhh, Nick… Nick, you are amazzzzzing," she panted as quietly as she could.

As much as Jules liked it, and she definitely liked it, she needed him to cum quickly just to keep any of their guests from stumbling upon them or have them wondering where on earth they were. They had a knack for getting caught in the worst possible situations…they were actually almost used to it by now.

But Nick didn't care about anyone else. He only wanted his wife and the alcohol made him have no self control or discipline and he wanted her NOW **not **later. He wasn't interested in cumming fast, he was only interested in enjoying her, so he watched her every move; he watched her face enjoying his thrusts; he watched her breasts bounce as he pounded into her, and he especially watched as his cock plowed in and out of her relentlessly.

Nick Stokes was in ecstasy and he didn't care a bit about anyone else downstairs.

"Ohhh fuck yeah, Baby….uhhh….arghhh….," he continued to grunt and groan loudly.

"Nicky," she cupped the sides of his sweaty face, "Shhh, Handsome,…someone will hear you!"

"I don't care, Baby…if they could see what I'm seein' and feel what I am feelin' right now, they'd be fuckin' groaning too!" he laughed, leaned forward, and rubbed her nipple with his thumb.

The way he spoke to her in his raspy, southern drawl…the way he looked at her and had to have her right there and then, made her body weaken for him. She wanted to please him and give him exactly what he was looking for, so she began to buck up against him wildly and he grunted louder.

Nick took his hand away from her nipple and began using his thumb to rub her clit. He would not stop rubbing her as he continued to slam himself into her again and again. He was out of control with passion and desire and he was letting her have it with both barrels.

Jules would probably have laughed at his ferocity if it didn't feel so good. The motion of his enormous cock ramming her and rubbing her clit at the same time made her unable to care about anything but him. She never intended this to be about her. She was the sober one who should have more self control than this, but the truth was she was enjoying her husband just as much as he was enjoying her. She couldn't help it. She was desperately in love with him and the way he moved and thrust into her only magnified her adoration.

Jules had began their secret sex romp hoping to get him off quickly, but Nick was too good of a lover and it was **her **that was now begging him to never stop.

"Ohhh, NICK! DON'T STOP….DON'T STOP!" she screamed into the pillow she threw over her face quickly.

Hearing Jules beg made him continue to fuck her hard and fast made him barely able to hold back. His breathing was heavy, his heart was racing, and he knew as he was slapping up against her that he was losing control. But he didn't want to cum just yet—it felt too good to stop so he pulled out of her abruptly.

Jules ripped the pillow off her face and panted to him, "WHAT? Why'd ya stop, Cowboy? Is someone coming up?"

Nick didn't answer her. Instead, he flipped her on to her stomach, pulled her up on her knees, and spread her legs wider with his thighs. Once he got her where he wanted her, he grabbed hold of her hips tightly, and started to pump into her wildly.

"My God I love you, Baby," he panted out.

Jules couldn't answer him because she had her face buried into her comforter and was moaning with passion. What started out to be a forbidden quickie now turned into a hot, wild fuckfest with the two of them sweating and panting and trying desperately to muffle their uncontrollable sounds of pleasure.

Nick heard his friends talking, laughing and carrying on in the backyard but it didn't make him lose his concentration, instead, he simply thrust himself into Jules deeper making a slapping sound that drowned out any outside noise he had heard.

But, as Nick drowned out the sounds of the party with his slapping thrusts, he made it impossible for Jules to hold back her own orgasm.

"I'm cumming, oh Nick…Niiiickkkkk….NNNIIIICKKKKKK" she groaned into the mattress, as her body began shaking beneath him.

The feeling of her walls squeezing his cock, combined with the satisfaction of making her cum hard, made Nick bury his face onto her bare, damp, back and groan as he unleashes himself inside her.

Finally, with their bodies trembling, Nick collapsed on top of her completely exhausted, but absolutely elated.

"Now tell me that wasn't worth it, Baby," he laughed into her hair.

"Whadya mean?" she asked laughing into the pillow.

"I'm just sayin'…that was awesome and I am glad we didn't wait until everyone left," he said chuckling but meaning it completely.

"You're right…it was absolutely mind blowing…but we still are ridiculously out of control!" she laughed and tried to roll over but was pinned by his hot, sweaty, body.

"You want me to move off you, don't you?" he mumbled still face down in her hair.

"If I want to continue breathing, yeah, I guess I do," she said with her voice strained from his weight.

It took everything Nick had inside him to move off her. His body was numb and felt immobilized but he managed to roll himself off of her back and flopped on the other side of her staring up at the ceiling.

Jules scooted off the bed and bolted into the bathroom to take a fast shower. She knew she had to smell of musky, sweaty, sex and she had to get herself together before facing her guests that lingered downstairs. She didn't think it took her more than a few minutes but when she came out of the bathroom, Nick was gone.

Holding her towel tightly around her, she peeked out the french doors in her bedroom and could see over the balcony that he was already back in the yard and dressed in sweat shorts but no shirt. She smiled as she watched him leaning nonchalantly against the bar with another beer in his hand; she knew not one person had any idea what just went on upstairs.

No one knew that Nicky Stokes just rocked her world…


	103. By Her Side

I do not own CSI

Rated T

***AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

When I get an email that says "Fan Review" I literally get excited hoping for encouragement - It helps me get the confidence to continue, especially when I am not a real writer, compliments and encouragement mean a lot. So, my apologies for asking for reviews so much**. Today, when I saw a review arrive, ****my Happy Dance **** did not last once I read it and is the cause for my apology.** I will share my latest review, perhaps you will agree and want to congratulate her on being brave enough to say it. Here is what "JEN" my reviewer had to say...

_**Its kinda annoying that you keep asking for reviews. if someone likes your chapter they'll write a review you don't have to keep **_

_**asking. and its funny how you keep "blackmailing" us "Is the story too long? Should I **_

_**continue? I wish I knew if I was wasting my time or not." i think saying that is stupid.**_

Brave enough to say it, "JEN" is too cowardly to review without anonymity, so I must respond here: I am not forcing you to read my work so I can't blackmail you in to it. If you find me stupid and annoying, please, I suggest you move along and find another story and keep your insults to yourself. Funny how you can take the time to bash someone but not build them up as a writer...that's very telling. According to the rules on this site, I am not allowed to post a note without a story attached so I will add a chapter I have already written... I'm glad I wrote it ahead of time. I spend far too much time writing this story as it is but I enjoyed writing it. Well, Jen, if you wanted to taint the fun in my hobby and take the wind out of my sails, you managed to do it very well...I am hopeful I will blow past it though, if not I always have a lot of laundry to catch up on so thank you.

Enjoy this chapter...it had been written through encouragement.

* * *

The moonlight splashed through the blinds and blanketed the room subtly. It was glowing in just a way that made her dark hair, that was cascading around the pillow, glisten and shine.

He couldn't help watching her as she slept.

_"I always knew you were a good lookin' girl, Trist, but my God, how did I not see how beautiful you are?"_ he whispered to her._ "What's got you so torn up, Sweetheart? What has you running like the house is on fire?" _he asked her knowing she wouldn't respond.

Warrick was having a hard time sleeping. It was a crazy night. He was just coming down from the realization that she was in real trouble before he got to her. Jules wasn't wrong to worry, but he would never let her know how right she was. He was just happy he went to find her before…. Warrick squeezed his eyes shut…he couldn't bring himself to think about her back in that alley.

He stared around at the room and admired the décor. He liked her style and flair. He looked to the left and saw a picture on the nightstand. Leaning his arm over he moved the frame so he could see it. The frame held three small pictures. One of the pictures was of the profiles of Trista and Jules from many years ago; they were looking at each other and laughing. Warrick thought back and was pretty sure he was the one who took that picture. The next picture was of Nick holding Emma up on his shoulders. Nick was looking up at Emma and she was looking down at him. The third picture was Emma with a fist full of cotton candy, wearing a baseball cap backwards and smiling wide.

Warrick leaned his arm over and grabbed another frame off the night stand and spent a longer time staring at that picture. It was a 5x7 of all four of them on the dance floor at Nick and Jules' wedding reception. Nick was smiling wide into the camera as Jules stood next to him in her beautiful white gown. She was standing sideways with both arms wrapped around Nick's neck, his head pulled toward her and her lips smashed into his cheek. Warrick stood next to his sister looking at the camera with a proud, open mouthed smile and Trista stood next to Nick, holding his arm and laughing at Jules' attack on new husband.

He remembered that night well, and he remembered exactly when that picture was taken. They were supposed to all be looking and smiling at the camera but Jules lost her mind for a minute and turned, reached over, grabbed Nick's neck, and pulled his head down to kiss his face hard. Warrick was sure she just ruined the picture but it turned out to be one of the best candid photos of the night. Warrick looked at himself in his tuxedo and Trista in her bridesmaid dress. She didn't have to be facing the camera for him to see how beautiful she was. He smiled softly and wondered how he could have possibly not seen then what he sees now.

Warrick stared at the images of the four of them for a long time before finally deciding to shut the moonlight out along with his thoughts. He put the picture back, got up from the bed and walked to the window.

As he pulled the blinds down they slipped and made a subtle noise.

She gasped and jolted upright.

Warrick turned quickly.

"Whoa, hey, hey," he said scurrying back to the bed, "I'm right here."

"_**Warrick**_!" she screamed and wrapped her arms around his neck as he sat on the side of her bed next to her.

He could feel her heart pounding hard and fast.

"It was just a dream…just a dream," he whispered and rubbed her back as he held her.

She pulled back and took a deep breath. "I shouldn't have been out there…it was my fault…" she choked out.

"It's over…you're fine now…I'm staying right here," he stroked the side of her face with his finger.

She stared at him... "Why you being so good to me?" she asked abruptly.

"Because we're solid like that, Trista…we've always been, you gotta know that."

She nodded and knew he was right. They were always there for each other when the chips were down.

Trista let her eyes meet his again and she leaned in, touched his face and kissed his cheek softly. She lingered there before she pulled away.

"Thank you…if I don't tell you later…if I have to call you names…I want you to know…okay?" she whispered and touched his hand.

Warrick swallowed hard and whispered back…

"You're welcome…"


	104. Well Deserved

I do not own CSI.

Rated M

**As promised to my Nicky & Jules fans...and smut fans too...a long chapter dedicated solely to them.  
**

***** NICK & JULES ONLY CHAPTER *****

**The BBQ is over...their friends have gone home...they share some quiet time together...**

**They have already banged their brains out earlier...so they couldn't possibly want it again, right?**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

She finished wiping down the outside tables and stood in the center of the deck just staring out into the empty yard. She was in such deep thought she hadn't even heard Nick open the sliding glass doors.

Nick stood on the step and watched her; he had a feeling he knew what she was thinking about. He closed the sliders and walked up behind her.

"Hey, Babe," he whispered as he wrapped his arms around her body completely.

"Hey, Handsome," she leaned her head back into his shoulder.

"Do I even want to know what you are staring out into space thinking about?" he asked her still squeezing her tightly.

"Oh, nothin', just cleaning off the tables and…I guess it's late…right?" she turned in his arms to face him.

"Late? Late for what?" he asked giving a sideways look.

"Too late to call her cell phone…or my brother's," she winced afraid of his answer.

Nick paused.

He waited before answering her.

He didn't want to start the argument of why she shouldn't be concerning herself with Trista and her drunken escape.

He sighed and closed his eyes for a minute before proceeding.

"Yes. Yes, it is too late," he stopped there choosing not to lecture her.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," she said out loud but answering herself more than him.

"Honey, your brother said she is fine, can we go upstairs and just get into bed together?" he asked sincerely, "I don't get to hold you close when I sleep all that often because I'm workin'. Can I please just get you up in our bed, hold you in my arms, and go to sleep with you in them? And then when I open my eyes, there you will be," he smiled softly at her and kissed her nose.

"Yeah, go ahead, I will be up in a few minutes; I just want to clean up a little," she kissed him back on his nose.

"We can do it together in the morning, Sunshine, let's get into bed," he said turning to walk into the house holding her hand in his.

Jules looked around at the left over items, then nodded as she walked into the house with Nick hand and hand.

* * *

As Nick pulled the bedspread down to drape across the foot of the bed, Jules stood on the other side and pulled back the white, down, comforter and the top sheet. The softness and the scent from the fabric softener she uses danced in the air. Nick loved that smell. It was the smell of home.

Nick looked down at his sweat shorts and back at the clean, white, crisp, cool, sheets. They looked so fresh and new and he just couldn't bear getting in them dirty.

"I am gonna go take a shower before I get in…wanna join me?" he chuckled as he headed for the master bathroom.

Jules smirked but didn't answer him. Instead, she walked over to her dresser, pulled out a silk nightgown and rested it on the dresser. As she stripped off her clothes, she brought them into the bathroom to throw them in the hamper. She was just about to turn back out but she paused to stare at the man of her dreams showering behind the glass door. The steamy shower door did not hide his silhouette and she admired his physique.

Nick didn't notice Jules watching him because his head was dipped under the shower head and water rinsed the shampoo from his hair ferociously. The water flooding down his face, ears, and neck drowned out his realization that his wife just opened the door and slid in naked behind him. By the time he felt the cool breeze alerting him that the door had been opened, he already felt her smooth hands roam around his shoulders.

"Mmmm, I did not expect you to take me up on my offer, Sunshine," he said turning to face her and trying to wipe away the water from his eyes.

"I wasn't expecting to either until the spell you have me under beckoned me forward," she giggled.

"Ohhhh, so I have a spell over you, huh? So, you're not here on your own free will?" he asked finally getting his vision cleared.

"Uh uh," she shook her head.

Nick smiled and let his hands rest on her bare hips, "Well, whatever it takes to get you in here is fine with me, I don't care, just as long as you're here," he leaned in and rubbed her nose with his before kissing her lips softly.

"You think we'll ever stop being sex crazed animals with each other? I mean, this just isn't the norm, I don't think," she asked sincerely.

"I don't think how much I love you…how much you love me…I don't think THAT is the norm so why would our sex life be normal?" he chuckled as he rubbed her back gently as he spoke.

Jules didn't have to answer him. She knew he was right. The way they felt about one another was definitely something straight out of a fairytale. It was rare. It was a gift. She knew it and she valued it…she was grateful for it.

As the water cascaded down Nick's back and mist sprayed the side of Jules' face as they kissed, the two of them were not venturing into a wild, passion filled, fuckfest. Even with Nick under the influence of one too many beers, he knew what it felt to just love her. It was a feeling he lived for each day. Drunk or not, Nick Stokes had a love for his wife that was so strong that it could be seen permeating from him. He didn't care if people saw that as weakness. He didn't feel like less of a man. He felt like a man who was lucky enough to find his soul mate. He felt sorry for the people who didn't have the love he had. They couldn't possibly know what he felt, unless they had what he had…and he cherished it.

Nick kissed her softly and intimately. He didn't lift her up and slide her onto him. Instead he let himself absorb the love she was giving him simply through her kiss. Pulling away and stepping out of the cascading water, he held her face in his wet hands. He swiped away a few drops of water that was dripping off her nose, he and stared her straight into her eyes and he told her what was in his heart.

"I love you. You have no idea how much I love you," he said and kissed her forehead.

"Yes I do. Oh yes I do," she smiled.

* * *

The water began to get colder but Nick was still just holding his wife and kissing her softly. He was enjoying and absorbing the intense love they felt for each other.

Pulling away his brown eyes stared at her.

"What did I do to get this lucky? I have everything I could ever ask for…the love of my life, my beautiful daughter, and two babies on the way," he asked sincerely.

"Maybe you just deserve it, did you ever think of that?" she smiled and wiped the water from his forehead. Jules wondered for a minute if her heart would explode from the amount of love she felt for him right at that moment.

Nick didn't give her a rebuttal; he simply smiled.

"You cold?" he asked her as he rubbed his perfect nose on hers.

"Little bit," she spoke only inches from his face.

"Ya tired?" he asked as he shut the water.

"Little bit," she chuckled, "You wore me out from banging my brains out in your drunken attack."

"Whoa, whoa, Baby, that wasn't cuz I was drunk, I could attack you drunk, sober, tired…you make me crazy…always have," he laughed softly as he took her hand and headed out of the shower.

Wrapping themselves in towels, they headed to their bed.

"Um, if I wore you out, Darlin' does that mean I should leave you alone tonight cuz…um, I have no problem goin' at it again with you, ya know that right?" he grinned.

"Handsome, I could be drunk, sober, tired…you make me crazy, always have…you want me? I'm yours, don't you know that?" she smiled as she repeated him.

"Hah hAA" Nick laughed his cute little laugh and walked to the door making sure it was locked.

Jules was already on the bed as he walked back to her. She crawled on her knees to his side and knelt in front of him to meet him. Staring eye to eye with him she leaned in, kissed his cheek softly before trailing her lips over to his mouth.

Nick stood in front of her as she knelt before him on the bed. His hands rubbed her bare skin up and down her sides as she leaned in and kissed him softly. His cock was already standing straight up; he wanted her bad yet again but this time he wanted to make love to her. He didn't want to fuck her wildly, he wanted to hold her, lover her, please her. He was dying to taste her and make her moan. He couldn't stand it.

He pulled away from her mouth and smiled softly at her, "I want to hear you moan, baby, I gotta have you in my mouth…I wanna taste you so bad tonight…and then I wanna make love to you until we both go numb…Whaddya say to that?" he kissed her neck.

Jules didn't answer him. She just let her head roll back and her fingers cling to his shoulders. His southern drawl telling her how much he wanted her made her weak in the knees. But it wasn't until he began moving lower that she realized her knees would go even weaker.

Nick's mouth began to trail down to the nape of her neck and he gently kissed her until his mouth reached her breast. He licked and sucked her nipples before moving himself to his knees.

"Lay back, Babe, I need you right now," he whispered once he got to his knees.

She silently moved herself onto her back allowing Nick to pull her forward by her legs and position her so his face can dive between her legs.

"Ohhh, Honey, you look…wow," Nick said staring at her shaven lips. It turned him on so much he had to close his eyes and shake his head for a minute to focus. Spreading her legs apart he leans himself forward and gently tickles her clit with his warm tongue.

Jules gasped from the sensation of Nick's tongue beginning to taste her.

He began licking softly but he couldn't help but to move his tongue faster and quicker.

"Oh God…" Jules clutched the sheets in her fists.

Nick pulls away to watch her face for a minute.

"Feel good?" he chuckled.

"Uh huh," manages to pant out.

"Good because I can't get enough of you…I absolutely love the taste of you," he said just before continuing.

Jules couldn't help it. She couldn't not moan even if she tried. He was so amazing. Nick could make her scream just with his tongue alone.

"Ohhhh NICK, you…feel…soooo goood," she yelled and squeezed the sheets tighter in her fists.

Nick can feel her heat and it is turning him on even more. He moves his hands under her and grabs her ass so he can push his tongue into her deeper. He moves his tongue in and out of her before licking her up and down again and again. He can't get enough of her and it is making Jules crazy.

"OHHH Godddddd Nickyyyy, you make me feel sooooo good…oh God, I love you, Honey, Ohhhhhh Uhhhh Nick, Nick, I can't take it…." she screams out.

Nick can feel her start to spasm around his tongue and he loves how it tastes and feels on his tongue.

"NICK...Oh God, Texas….ohhhhh…arrrrrhhhh…."Jules gasps and groans louder as she cums again.

Nick starts to chuckle as he moves out from between her legs.

"Was that two?" he asks arrogantly.

"Shut up," she laughs trying to still catch her breath.

Nick laughs softly and begins to kiss his way back up her body. Jules scoots up and he stops his kisses so he can crawl up over her.

Once he hovers over her, Jules looks up into his eyes.

She can see in his eyes and they show her the intensity of his love for her. Reaching up she caresses the side of his face before tracing his features with her fingertips. She loved to feel each of his sexy features under her fingers. She stroked his strong, square, jaw, grazed over his soft lips with her thumb, her index finger begins to trail down the bridge of his Greek nose, before cupping the side of his face again.

"I love you," she whispers, "I don't think it's possible for you to completely know how much, Nicky."

Nick closes his eyes and leans into her hand. He opens them again to stare down at her and pour his heart out to her.

"Of course I know how much, Darlin', I know exactly," he whispers still staring into her eyes. "Don't you know I love you the same way? You are my heart, Baby, I love everything about you…I love who I am when I am with you," he explained.

As Nick spoke his words of truth, he began to push his himself inside her gently, moving in and out with slow strokes.

Jules closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of him entering her, but she opened them again when she heard him continue.

"Uhhhhhhhh," he groaned before continuing, "My God I love you so much, I love you…you are the best part of me…you make me, Baby, you make me who I am.

Jules stares at him and her eyes dampen from his heartfelt declaration.

"Nick…" was all she could whisper.

Her words could never be enough to express the love she felt for him. Her words could never fully explain how it felt to know how much he loved her…His love was sincere and undeniable. And she felt the same way. She reached up and stroked his hair…her eyes never diverting from his as he continued to slide in and out of her slowly.

Nick leaned down and kissed her lips and his tongue teased hers. He could feel her love in her caress. He could feel it by the way she tried to breathe him into her soul. Jules moaned into his mouth without even realizing it. It was a moan of sheer desire. She pushed up into him, pressing herself against him in order to take in more…she wanted to feel him completely inside her.

The feeling of her lifting herself up onto him made Nick feel so good he picked up his pace wanting more of her…all of her….he needed her.

Jules could feel him pushing deeper and deeper until his skin was flush with hers. It was exactly how she wanted him to be…completely inside her…inside her soul.

"I love you….oh…Nick…oh…Ohhhh God, Nicky, I love you so much, Ohhhhh I can't take it…ohhhhh faster, faster…," Jules yelled out and clung to his shoulders with desperation.

Nick loved hearing her moan. He loved hearing her yell his name and tell him how much she loves him. He loved making her body shake and he loved feeling her climax hard around his cock. He knew he was making her cum again and it was exactly what he wanted to do to her.

"NICKKKK….Nickkkk….Ohhhhhhhhhh, YES…..NICKKK…Oh God I love you…Oh Baby I love you…I want all of you so, so, bad…Ohhhhhhh yes, yes, yes ARGHHHHH" she couldn't hold back her scream and she felt Nick's hand go over her mouth to muffle her cries of pleasure. Jules squeezed her eyes tight, squirmed beneath him, and let her panting breath fill his palm.

Jules' orgasm was mind blowing. She couldn't even control how loud she was because of how amazing he made her feel. She was thankful he covered her mouth so she wouldn't frighten her daughter with her loud cries and groans. She couldn't help it.

Nick loved every thing about making love to Jules. Even when she could possibly wake their daughter by screaming his name too loud, still he loved it. Holding her naked in his arms, making her lose all control just by the way he moved inside her made him begin to groan and grunt himself as he slammed into her with pure desire. He felt the sweat dripping down his temple and he smiled down at Jules as she wiped it with her thumb.

Jules smiled back at him and mouthed to him, "I love you, Nicky."

Nick felt a wave of emotion fill his body causing him to lose control and, with one last stroke inside her, he came hard. Jules knew he was cumming and so she wrapped her arms completely around him and gripped him tightly. As she pressed the sides of his ribs hard with her arms, she ran her fingers lovingly down his back adding to the sensations he was already feeling. Once he finished, he rolled over onto his back and breathed heavily with his eyes closed.

Jules rolled onto her side, scooted over to him, and lay her head on his chest. She could feel his heart pounding hard. She breathed along with him and stroked her fingertips up and down his side. She felt his hand weakly rise up and begin to stroke her hair softly.

Jules lifted her head and scooted up to face him better. She stroked his dark hair and stared into his dark brown eyes.

"Have I told you I love you?" she joked knowing full well she just screamed it loudly several times.

"I do believe I heard those words leave those pretty lips of yours," he smiled still breathing heavily, "and I love you too, Honey, ….and this is exactly what I wanted…for you to be in my arms, in our bed, making love in the middle of the night…I needed this….I needed this time with you in our bed."

"I get that…I love having you hold me at night, why do you think I wear your shirts to bed sometimes?" she smiled, "And spray them with your cologne," she admitted.

"Aw, really, you put my cologne on 'em?" he said in his southern accent.

Jules nodded with a smile. "I've told you that before…But it's not even close to how I feel when I am lying in your strong arms and having you make love to me as perfectly as you do."

"Mmmm, you like how I make love to you, Baby?" he teased trailing his fingers over her arms giving her goosebumps.

"Uh huh," she smiled, "but…"

"But?" he tilted his head.

"But I love when you fuck me like a I'm a dirty, little, minx, too," she laughed.

"Mmmm, yeah, I like that for sure too, that's always really good," he laughed back and hugged her tightly.

He began to play with locks of her hair between his fingers; she loved when he did that. She has always teased him by saying he liked to play with her hair so much because he was a hair and fiber specialist. He told her that was definitely NOT true.

Jules felt complete peace in his arms, and rested her head back down on his chest and snuggled into his arms. She could feel herself beginning to drift off to sleep. She knew she needed to get up but Nick's arms had already encased her. She knew he had fallen asleep already just from the way he breathed and the way his hand suddenly just draped into her hair. She tried to slip out of his arms but she was in his arms securely.

"Nicky, I gotta get up, Honey," she whispered, "I gotta get dressed for when Emma wakes up."

"Mmmm," he mumbled.

"Nicky, Honey, come on…"

"Yeah, yeah, okay, yeah," he stammered sleepily.

Jules slipped out of bed, scurried over to her dresser, and threw on panties and a different nightgown than she had originally chosen. She unlocked the door before she walked to Nick's dresser and grabbed a pair of boxers.

Crawling back into bed, she handed them to him. He scooted into them without even getting out from under the covers. Nick was exhausted. He had drank a lot of beer tonight and although he was nearly completely sober now, he was definitely shot and needed to sleep.

It didn't take him long to scoop Jules into him, cover her with his arms and drift away.

It was exactly the way he wanted to spend his night off.

In his bed…

…with Jules in his arms.


	105. Know When to Fold

I don't own CSI

Rated T

**I have officially lost my mind.**

**No really, off the wall lost it...as in, if my friends or family knew they would commit me.**

**Why?**

**Sigh. Well. Jules Brown Stokes has her own facebook complete with pictures.**

**Yes, you read that right. I am so ashamed! **

**But, I was sick in bed all day and had nothing better to do than to create images for my readers.**

**SO WARPED, I know.**

**Go ahead, check her out...you'll see pix of their house, wedding pix, baby pix of Emma, Nick of course, etc.**

**SO SICK! But damn fun.**

**Search for : Jules Brown Stokes (location will be Las Vegas)**

* * *

Another thing before you begin reading...

I have some people wanting more Trista and Warrick...some who want me to focus only on Nick and Jules.

I need you to tell me what you want so I know which direction to go in.

THIS chapter is Trista & Warrick only - with a few of the Stokes mentioned.

Review and let me know pleeeeeeze!

Let me know how you like Jules' FaceBook page ;o)

* * *

Trista felt safer knowing he was lying next to her. She liked it far more than she was willing to admit. She fell asleep listening to him breathe softly beside her. She was at peace until she felt the breeze of the warm Las Vegas air hit her face. She thought she could hear the music blaring from inside the club.

Trista couldn't quite stand and she felt herself sway back and forth. His hands were touching her and she tried to move away. She backed up into the cold brick wall of the alley. She watched his big, gold, watch glittered as he tore her dress. She tried to tell him that it wasn't a good idea…she told him he just ripped her best friend's dress but he laughed at her. She tried to tell him that Jules loved that dress and he ruined it. He ripped it and it would never be the same again.

"Even if she sews it, it's still be damaged. You can't mend what is broken…once you tear it…once it's damaged…it's never the same…don't you get that?" she screamed at the image before her. "She loved this dress but she will never look at it the same way again! YOU RUINED IT!"

"Would it help if I told you I'm sorry?" he leaned in and kissed her and it felt peaceful and right. She kissed him back and let her hands roam his body. She felt his strong hands trail across her shoulders and neck. She felt secure in his arms as he kissed her and held her tightly. She almost felt like she could love him.

"This is crazy, I just met you…but I think…. I love you," she whispered through her kiss.

"Of course you love me! Every Honey loves me," he laughed and the streetlight lit his face.

"Warrick?" she gasped, "Why are you here? It's you?"

"It's me…it's me…you are in love with me and I find it fun…don't you?"

"Fun? Like a game?"

"Yep, fun…and then when the game is over…well then…move along, no hard feelings, right?" he laughed louder.

"But…" she paused not knowing what to say.

She looked down and saw where he ripped her dress. "You ruined Jules' dress, Warrick! You ripped it. Why did you rip it?"

"Because I just did…I didn't mean to do it…it just happened…sometimes, it's just what I do and I don't mean nuthin' by it," he said shrugging his shoulders.

"Well, I'm telling her YOU did it!"

Warrick laughed. "Don't you get it, Honey? Even if I did ruin it…it won't be me that she gets rid of…it will be you…you will be the damaged goods…" he whispered closer to her ear.

"No, not me! Jules loves me…Nick and Emma…they love me!"

"Yep, but you'll still be torn up…when I have to leave you…I don't stick around for long ya know…and once they see you've been damaged…you can't mend it…they will never feel the same way about you again…just like that dress…"

Trista was surprised to see Nick walk into the alley with Emma on his hip; Jules followed right beside him.

"Oh good, Jules I wanna show you the dress…Warrick ripped it!" she said pointing to the torn fabric.

"It's okay. My brother probably didn't mean to…he is just crazy like that," she smiled at Warrick. "Come on, Warrick, we're going out to eat, come with us," she said and Emma giggled happily.

"You is comin' to eat out wif us, Uncle Wick?" she grinned.

"What about me?" Trista cocked her head to the side unsure why she wasn't being invited too.

"Oh, um, well, it's just family, you understand, right?" she explained feeling uncomfortable.

Nick stepped forward as if to defend Jules, "Trist, listen, it's not you…it's just that…well, I mean, you and Warrick…it's just uncomfortable now…I mean he couldn't help it and well…it's just better if you don't come…"

Trista bolted upright clutching the blankets in her hands. Her heart pounded from her dream. She felt the sadness of rejection in her chest. She stared out into the darkened room. She swallowed hard and tried to push away her thoughts but she knew what that dream meant. She understood that it was not about a torn dress at all. She knew exactly what it meant, and it was painful to accept.

Trista looked over and saw Warrick asleep beside her. She could only see the image but she knew it was him. She knew he never left her; just as he promised.

"_Maybe not now…but you will," _she whispered trying to convince herself that she knew that just because he didn't leave this time didn't mean it wouldn't leave in the end.

Trista slipped out from under the covers and tip toed out of her room and went into her kitchen. Flipping on the light, she took a deep breath and she got herself a glass of water. She felt dehydrated and weak. "_My God, Trista, were you trying to kill yourself with all that tequila?" _she asked herself.

She wished she could call Jules. She wanted to tell her why she left her BBQ. She wanted to tell her she and Warrick had hooked up and that he wanted more. She wanted to tell her that she feels something too but is afraid. She wanted to share it all with her best friend but she couldn't because it was not just any man she would be talking about…it was Warrick.

Trista looked up at the clock on the wall and saw that it was 3:30 in the morning. _"I guess Nick would not be too pleased if I called the house and woke him up on his night off," _she said out loud with a smirk.

She wasn't expecting a voice to answer her. It made her jump.

"Nick would definitely flip from the sound of a ringing phone on his night off…but let me ask you…**why **would you want to call my sister at this hour? Maybe it's time you talked to me about what has you ripped apart inside? I'm here. I'm listening," Warrick said as he leaned against the kitchen wall.

"God, Warrick, you scared me… you're like a freaky stalker!" she growled and clutched her chest.

"I was just seeing how you were feeling…if you're okay," he explained.

"Yeah, I'm fine…you can go home."

Warrick stared at her.

Trista drank her water without looking at him.

Finally Warrick spoke, "No."

"No? No you're not going home?"

"Right. I told you I wouldn't leave you and I meant it. I will drive you back to my sister's in the morning."

"Okay, Hero, goodnight then," she pushed passed him.

Warrick spun around and grabbed her wrist keeping her from going any farther.

"Why are you so angry? Why are you so mad at ME?"

Trista stared at him before answering, "I'm sorry…I don't want to be…I just…I don't know, I'm just sorry okay?"

"Trist, I just don't understand it. You want to drink yourself sick because I have feelings for you? It doesn't make sense! Alright, so what…you said 'No' and yeah it sucks because I am…" he paused, "I will just have to get over it…My God, you are making it seem like I'll commit suicide because you don't want me!"

"I know…its not that, Warrick…look my head is fucking pounding so let it drop," she growled and rubbed her temples.

**"I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU!"** he yelled in frustration. He couldn't figure out what was happening inside her head.

"I just have a lot going on," she whispered looking at her bare feet.

"WHAT? Where do you come up with this shit? What do you have going on? And how does it apply to me?"

"Not everything is about you Warrick!" she yelled still looking away from him before she turned walked out of her kitchen and back to her room.

Warrick followed after her.

She had just walked into her room and made it only to the foot of her bed when Trista felt his hand grab her arm. His touch was like electricity through her body. She looked at his hand on her arm for a very long second and then up at him.

"Why do you need answers for everything, Warrick? Why cant you stop investigating me!"

"WHAT? Trista, are you serious? I mean really? Now I'm investigating you? Okay, fine…when you stop running away and getting yourself drunk and lost with some scumbag who would've fucked you while you're drunk in an alley, then yeah, I wont ask you any of this shit!'

Trista winced and looked down again. She felt her face turn red and heated. She felt incredible shame creep in.

Warrick could feel it. He felt bad that he threw that in her face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…" he said.

"No, no...its fine. I take responsibility for it. It was stupid…nothing more to it…" she said clearing her throat to hide the pain.

Trista couldn't tell him the truth.

She couldn't.

She wasn't stupid. She knew he would insist they try this insane idea of a relationship.

She couldn't tell him, she knew him better than he knew himself…that he was thinking with his heart, or his dick, but definitely not his head…because if he used his brains he would know that he would eventually leave her flat for some whore…he would say he was sorry…that he couldn't help himself…and that he thought it would work **but**… and ultimately he would leave. She could even handle that from any other man **but **Warrick. He was a big part of her life. She would have to distance herself to get over him which meant she would have to distance herself from the only family she had left. Her mother was dead, her father was as good as dead, and she hadn't heard from her sister in at least ten years…and the truth was, she was more of a part of the Stokes' family than she had ever been with her own. And just because of some stupid attraction, some stupid feeling she couldn't escape from, she would risk it all? She didn't want to take that gamble…she couldn't.

Trista shook her head and simply reminded herself that she can cry all she wants to but she is not giving in to Warrick Brown. There simply was too much at stake.

"Why are you shaking your head? What is going through it? Why cant you fucking just talk to me?"

Trista finally stared him in the eyes and knew immediately that it was a huge mistake. The minute she looked into the sea of green, she saw him differently. It was as if his eyes were showing her a side of him she never met. They were vulnerable and soft. They were frightened but loving. In that instant that their eyes locked, she felt like she couldn't breathe.

"WELL?" he said loudly, "Why won't you tell me?"

"I am sorry. I don't have anything profound to share with you. I got drunk. I forgot to eat and drank too much. It's really very simple."

Warrick leaned himself against the dresser, stood there a minute and then rubbed his hands over his face. He was frustrated because he could feel her lies. He leaned his head back, blew out a loud breath of air, and stared up at the ceiling.

And suddenly it became clear.

"My God…you feel it too," he stared at her in shock.

"No, I really don't."

"I can't believe I missed it…you don't want to feel it, you're scared to fucking feel it!" he started to walk toward her but she turned away and crawled into bed.

"I'm sorry, Warrick, I wish that were true, just stop your investigating," she said and snuggled under the covers, "If you're gonna stay then just turn off the light and go to sleep."

Warrick closed his eyes for a second and shook his head in defeat. He flipped off the light switch, walked slowly over to the side of the bed, and crawled in next to her.

"I didn't know you were gonna get all IN my bed," she grumbled.

Warrick remained silent. Her comment actually upset him. Her coldness was starting to get to him.

Trista knew she was taking this to far. She felt bad about that but…the dream…the dress…the gamble that was too steep…it was breaking her down too.

In the dark Trista whispered, "Warrick?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we just be friends…The way it used to be? That's all I really want."

Warrick felt the knife slice deep. He knew then it was karma. It was for years of rejecting women…it was now happening to him and he had no control over it. It sucked.

"Yeah, Trist…I won't bring it up anymore. I get it."

Trista squeezed her eyes shut tightly. She managed to dodge a bullet even if it meant dodging the best thing that could have ever happened to her.

"_Sometimes," _she thought_, "ya gotta know when to fold 'em."_


	106. Testing the Waters

Don't own CSI.

Rated T or M based on innuendos.

**Got some great reviews...very helpful.**

**Trista and Warrick are going to fade out...maybe they will find each other another day...in another story...**

**I will bring them in here and there of course due to them being a huge part of the Stokes' lives.**

**As for THIS chapter:**

**NICK AND JULES! **

**AND EMMA, too! **

**Oh the joys of parenthood...not always peaches and cream.**

**I hope you enjoy it.**

**Oh, and remember that FaceBook that Jules had? You know, the one that someone plastered Nick & Brooke's compromising photos all over? Well, I'm sure she'd want to show your her family pics now. Look her up! Jules Stokes Brown (location Las Vegas) *I know I'm nuts...just enjoy it.  
**

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She was lying in the sun on a lounge chair by the pool when Nick sauntered outside looking for them. Emma was having a deep discussion with her dolls inside her playhouse in the yard not far away.

Jules heard the sliding glass doors open and close and she looked over to see Nick, wearing navy blue sweatpants and a white undershirt, walking toward her as he rubbed his eye and yawned.

"Hey, look who is awake…did you sleep well my big, handsome, groggy, man?" she smiled at him.

Nick smiled back at her and then looked her up and down as she lay leisurely on the lounge chair. He couldn't help himself. He found his wife incredibly hot with her toned, tan, body.

"I look fat, I already know that's why you are staring at me," she said patting her belly that was getting a bit bigger.

"Yeah, that's it, that's exactly what I was thinking," he chuckled and leaned over and kissed her.

Jules wrapped her arms around Nick's neck and she kissed him back. Nick continued his kiss and sat down on the side edge of her lounge chair. They finally broke apart when Nick pulled back.

"Come on, Baby, you're giving me a hard-on sittin' here, kissin' me, and looking so fat in that little swimsuit."

Jules slapped his shoulder, "HEY! Want me to hate you forever? Keep it up," she laughed loudly causing Emma to come out of her little pink and white house.

"Daddy! You waked up!" she yelled, "You wanna come to my tea pawty?" she asked.

"I would love to come to your tea party, Miss Emma," he said, stood up, and smiled at Jules as he adjusted himself quickly.

Jules watched him walk over to his little girl and scoop her up, throw her in the air, and growl into her neck. The emotion that swelled in her heart was blinding. She loved them so much it hurt.

"_God I am in love with them," _she whispered staring at Nick and Emma before looking down at her belly and rubbing it softly, "…_and that goes for the both of you, too." _

* * *

Later that afternoon Nick and Jules had decided they needed some alone time together...just the two of them. It was actually Nick's idea which only sweetened the offer. He would be working later but he figured if they went out for dinner they would have plenty of time before his shift.

Jules grabbed the phone off the kitchen counter and called Trista to see if she was doing anything.

"Nah," Trista said, "it's Tuesday, what would I be doing? You and Nick should go! I'll be over in about a half an hour. In fact, I am hungry so I will eat dinner at your house. What are you making me?" she laughed.

"Whatever you want, Girlfriend, as long as I get to spend some time with my big hunk of Texan man, I'll feed you lobster and caviar!" she laughed.

"A pizza will do," she laughed.

Jules hung up with Trista and then called in a pizza delivery.

* * *

Nick was lounging back on the kitchen chair with Emma sitting across from him. They were chatting about something but Jules wasn't paying much attention as to what. Grabbing a mug of coffee, she stirred in some milk and sugar and brought it over to him.

"I figured you could use a little caffeine to get you through work tonight…better start now, right?" she smiled and put it down in front of Nick.

He looked up at her and smiled back, "Thank you, Sunshine, you're right, I am gonna need it," he admitted and gave her ass a swat as she walked back to the kitchen sink to load the dishwasher.

Nick took a sip of his coffee and looked over at his daughter. He could feel her staring at him. He smiled when he saw her eyes seared on him.

"Whatcha thinking' over there, Sweet Pea?" he asked wondering what her glare was about.

"You no goin' to wawk tonight, Daddy. You and Mommy stay home and you lay down wif me," Emma demanded as she sat across from her father drinking a juice box.

"I wish, Sweet Pea, but Daddy and Mommy are going to go out and then I have to go to work, but don't you worry that pretty lil face of yours, I'll be home in the morning, and I won't go to sleep right away; we'll have breakfast together, how's that?" he smiled at her.

"No, you is gonna stay home, you is," she frowned.

"Should we share a bowl of cereal like we do or have mommy make us pancakes?" he ignored her demand.

"You is not listenin' to me, Daddy?"

"I am, I hear ya, but it isn't up for debate, little lady," he gave her a matter of fact look.

"I is mad den," she growled.

Jules stood at the sink and watched Nick and Emma have a debate that she knew Emma wouldn't win. She smirked at how insistent she was and mumbled how she was just like her father under her breath. Nick heard her but ignored it.

"Sorry to hear you're mad, Honey, but I told you I will be home when you wake up so I really don't know what else I can do for ya," he explained and continued to drink his coffee.

Emma frowned at him and Nick smiled a soft closed mouth smile at her.

"I love ya, Princess, but it is what it is."

"How about it **not**!" she said.

"How about I don't like the way you are talking to me right now," he frowned.

Nick put his coffee on the table and had a stare down with his daughter.

"You is not listenin' that why," she stared back at him.

Jules just watched and stayed out of their argument. It wasn't like Emma to be talking to her father that way but Jules did notice her daughter has been testing the waters lately and pushing the envelope. Jules wanted to see Nick's reaction so she remained silent.

"I _**am **_listening, and I just told you that I am going out with Mommy and then I am going to work. Period. The end."

Jules liked how much patience Nick was having with her, but she also knew it was going to wear thin if Emma kept back talking him.

"You tell dem yaw not comin' dair, and dats it, da end," she said strongly.

Jules took in a large breath of air when she heard how bratty Emma was being. She was shocked. It was out of character for her and she couldn't believe it. She knew she was tired; she had a long day and she played hard. She also knew Emma was pushing her luck with that fresh mouth she was giving her father. Jules waited to see how Nick would react since he was not one to tolerate undisciplined kids.

"Yeah, right, Em, nice try. Look, I'm not arguing with you and I don't like the tone you are using with me and I mean it."

"Yaw a butt head," she told him.

"_**EXCUSE ME?" **_he said loudly.

"You is," she whispered under her breath.

"That's not gonna fly with me, Emma, you need to go sit on the step and think about how to talk to me," he stood up and walked around the table toward her.

"No I isn't," she folded her arms in front of her chest.

Nick looked over at Jules and gave her a look as if to say _"What the fuck has gotten in to our daughter." _Jules just shook her head and mouthed_, "I have not a clue!"_

Jules couldn't stay silent anymore, "**Emma, tell Daddy you are sorry right now!"**

Emma's eyes welled up. She knew she had pushed that envelope too far. She knew her parents were angry and suddenly she didn't like that feeling. She was noticeably upset now.

"Let's go, up, up, up" Nick told her, "Two minutes on the step. You have been fresh to me since I sat down at this table and I let it go…enough now, Emma, to the step."

Emma scooted away from Nick but he took her by the arm firmly. Emma was in rare form and she had a fit.

"No! I is sawy now! I don't go to dat step now," she said angrily.

"Come on, to the step," Nick didn't falter.

Emma picked up her juice box furiously and squirted the front of Nick's shirt with apple juice.

"_**Holy… EMMA!" **_Nick yelled loudly shocked at his daughter's behavior.

"**EMMA JILLIAN STOKES! Are you kidding me?"** Jules yelled too.

"I is sawy again. It slipped out."

"Yeah, the juice just slipped out!" Nick said pulling her off the chair.

Jules followed as Nick brought her thrashing, screaming, and crying over to the stairs and put her on the bottom step for her Time Out.

"You listen to me, little girl, you will not disrespect me like that ever again; do you understand me?" Nick told her firmly and adamantly.

"I is sawy, Daddy, I is dis time…I vevy sawy," she said as she cried.

Nick's heart broke to see her lip curling down and her tears streaming down her face, but he also didn't want to see her get away with bullshit. The way Emma was acting was unacceptable to him. He refused to have a brat and he meant it. He had seen too many children walk through the LVPD being disrespectful to their parents and it made him sick. His daughter would not be one of those kids now or ever.

Emma stomped and cried but she had to sit there. Nick looked at Jules and shook his head with disgust. Walking around his daughter, he went upstairs to change his shirt.

When Nick had gone upstairs, Jules explained to Emma that what she did was not acceptable at all.

"Emma, I am going into the kitchen to set the timer. You are not to get up until that timer goes off, do you hear me?" she pointed at her.

Emma nodded. Her sad brown eyes shed large tears that rolled down her cheeks. Jules couldn't help but feel her heartstrings pull since those eyes that were crying looked just like Nick's.

Just as Jules turned to walk back to the kitchen, the doorbell rang.

* * *

Trista walked in just in time for the chaos of child rearing was taking place.

"Oh, hey, hey, what's this? What's this? Tears? No, no, no, my girl," she said to Emma soothingly.

"I is in timed out, Ann Testa" Emma cried.

"Why, Sweetheart, what happened? Tell me what happened," she said while putting her gym bag on the floor in the corner.

Jules sighed loudly and walked into the kitchen to set the timer on the stove.

Trista looked up and saw Nick coming down the stairs. He was holding a shirt in his hand and walking downstairs shirtless.

"Woohooo, look at CSI Stokes lookin' mighty fine!" she teased.

"Oh yeah, Ann Testa? Ya think so?" he laughed.

"Oh might-teeeey fine, Stokes. Figures all the good guys are taken," she said but suddenly felt her stomach drop. She thought about Warrick and how toned and sexy his bare chest was. She felt the flutter inside just from the thought.

Jules walked back into the foyer, "Hey, hey, hittin' on my man? You wanna go toe to toe?" she smirked.

The two women joked and headed for the kitchen together leaving Nick standing in front of his little girl. Trista looked back at Nick in time to see him pull on his shirt and squat down in front of his daughter. She stopped and secretly watched him.

"Emma, listen to me…I am very upset by how you spoke to me and I am very angry that you squirted me with apple juice. That was not nice at all. Daddy loves you and that will never change, you know that, but you are never, evvvver, to do that again," he scolded softly.

Emma took some labored breaths from crying and nodded before telling him how sorry she was.

"I is sawy, Daddy, I is," she said as her lip turned down, "I got madded because yaw not staying wif me on my bed. I was madded."

"I understand you were mad, Sweetheart, I do, but that doesn't mean you treat me that way," he said placing his forehead to hers.

"I know dat," she said spilling big tears that Nick wiped away with his thumb, "Daddy, I sawy," she whispered.

"Awww, I know, Sweet Pea, I know you are sorry," he said.

Nick couldn't help it; seeing her cry was a knife in his heart. Nick pulled her into his chest and hugged her tightly.

Trista stared at the whole scene unfolding in front of her. She was touched by how in love Nick was with his daughter. She began to realize that she never thought about having a baby of her own. She never allowed herself to think about it. She never wanted to think of herself with a husband and a couple of kids because she just knew it wouldn't be in the cards for her.

Maybe the thought scared her before, but suddenly, as Nick talked to his daughter, Trista imagined life with Warrick. She knew how good he was with Emma. She also knew how good he was with Jules growing up. She knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Warrick would be a fantastic father. She just wasn't as sure he would be a good husband. She was pretty sure, in fact, that he would screw around on her like most men Trista knew. That last thought made Trista turn away from Nick's moment with his little girl, and walk sadly into the kitchen.

"**NICK**!" Jules yelled from the kitchen, **"Don't be giving in to her for at least another 33 seconds,"** she tried not to laugh as she stared down at the timer.

Nick tried not to smirk. Jules knew him well and she knew he couldn't stand to see his daughter's tears combined with an "I'm sawy" but he knew he had to follow through with his punishment so he stood up and told her she had more time to think about what she did.

Emma's lip quivered but she stayed on the bottom step for another half a minute while Nick stood firm.

* * *

In the kitchen, Trista leaned on the counter and asked what happened.

"Oh, what happened you ask?" Jules whispered, "What happened was my daughter not only got nasty with her father but squirted him with apple juice when she didn't like what he had to say about it."

"NO WAY," Trista said in a animated whisper.

"Yes way, I don't know what the hell got in her head but she did. Nick's face was priceless. He was floored!"

"I bet. Man, Emma got all up in her dad's grill, huh? That's my girl!" Trista chuckled.

"Oh no, no, she better not be thinking she is gonna be a little bitch," Jules laughed.

Suddenly the timer beeped and sure enough, without a second to spare, Nick had Emma in his arms and he walked with her into the kitchen. Emma had her thumb in her mouth and her head buried into Nick's neck.

"Okay, my girl has realized the error of her ways," he smiled his Nick Stokes smile.

"Well I'm glad to hear that, whew, I wasn't sure what happened to my precious little girl but that fresh one was definitely not her, right Emma?" Jules said looking over at them.

Emma took her thumb out of her mouth and looked back at her mom, "I telled Daddy I is sawy," she explained.

"Well, that is wonderful! I'm glad to hear it. And did Daddy accept your apology?"

"Yaw not mad at me no mo, right?" she tilted her head and squinted.

"No, you said you were sorry and Daddy forgives you," he kissed her forehead. "But, I still can't lie down with you tonight because when Mommy and I get back I am leaving to go to work."

"But I see you in da mawnin faw breakfast," she grinned as Nick nodded.

"Is Warrick working with you tonight?" Trista asked.

Nick shot her a look, smiled, and told her that he was.

"Why?" Jules asked.

"Oh, I don't know, just wondering if Nick was gonna have to partner up with the loser is all," she covered.

"Oh stop!" Jules rolled her eyes.

Emma yawned in Nick's arms and he walked with her over to the couch. Trista watched him as he clicked through the channels and found a show he knew his baby would like. She admired how much he adored her. She loved how he knew which show would make her happy. She loved everything about how well Nick and Jules worked together and it suddenly hurt her knowing that might not ever be in store for her. She looked away.

"I like dis one, I do," Emma mumbled with her thumb still in her mouth.

"I know you do," he smiled at her, and rubbed her head before turning and walking back into the kitchen

"What's up, Ann Testa, Thanks for coming over," he smiled and walked over to Jules who was leaning into the open refrigerator. "Mmmm, look at that ass on my wife, mmm," he said and he came up behind her and pushed his groin into her.

"Hey, you're a dirty man, Stokes," Jules laughed, grabbed a yogurt and turned around, "Wanna a yogurt, Trist?"

Trista shook her head. "Why are you eating that if you're going out to dinner?" she asked.

"Oh, because I get dizzy sometimes and I think it's because I don't eat when I feel hungry; this will hold me over," she explained.

Jules walked to the counter and as she was getting a spoon from the drawer, Nick wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and Jules leaned back into him. The two of them stayed in that position while they talked to Trista.

Trista never let on that she noticed how affectionate Nick was being. She knew he wasn't just copping a feel or getting frisky. He just loved her. He loved touching her. He loved feeling her next to him. Trista knew that. She had always noticed that Nick was often touching Jules, but she never thought about how she doesn't have that kind of love in her own life and maybe, just maybe, she actually wishes she did.

Trista had to quickly change her thoughts so she made small talk that would not include Warrick or thoughts of Warrick. She played it safe with yogurt flavors.

"Out of all the yogurt flavors you can choose, why would you pick pineapple?"

"You don't like pineapple?"

"Not particularly."

Nick just listened and rested his cheek in Jules' hair.

"I got used to eating it as a kid and now I love it. Grams brought it home a lot when Warrick and I were little. The deli on the corner sold any yogurts there were about to expire to Grams real cheap and pineapple was usually the only flavors left over. Warrick still likes it too; maybe we're the only two people in Vegas that like it, I don't know," she laughed and smiled as she recalled her childhood.

Trista sighed to herself. No matter how hard she tried to steer her thoughts away from Warrick Brown, Trista kept getting hit with them. She thought she would definitely be safe talking about yogurt but it was just her luck to choose a topic that was tied to Warrick.

Just as Trista decided to get out of there and go into the other room, Jules shocked both her and Nick with a question that wasn't expected.

"Hey, Trist, you never told me what happen with you and that guy!" Jules said.

Nick squinted his eyes and tilted his head unsure about where this conversation was going. Letting go of Jules he turned around and went to the fridge. Grabbing a bottle of water he walked back to the counter.

"What guy? Who, Trist," Nick smirked and unscrewed the cap to the water.

"Uh, what, uh, the guy?" Trista stuttered terribly.

"YES! You know…that **GUY**…the one you said was incredible," she reminded her.

"Yeah, uh, I don't know I decided to just walk away, ya know how I am," she said looking for a way out.

"Oh yeah, Trista?" Nick teased, "that's too bad…was he a nice guy?" Nick tried so hard to fight back his laugh so he quickly took another drink of his water.

"TRISTA! The guy who you said was…" she lowered her voice to a whisper, "_hung like a horse and was the best sex you ever had in your_ _ENTIRE life!"_

When Nick heard Jules remind Trista that she said that dude was "hung like a horse and the best sex ever" he was so shocked he spit his water out and it sprayed across the counter hitting Trista in the face and Jules on the shoulder.

'_**NICCKKKKKKKK**_!" Trista screamed wiping her face with her hands.

"**NICK**!" Jules gasped and ran to get Trista a dish towel, "Oh my God! " Jules said handing her a dish towel, "What is wrong with you? Were you choking, Honey?"

Nick coughed and choked but managed to put his hand up and wave it away saying "I'm fine…went down the wrong pipe."

"Trista, I am so sorry!" Nick said but couldn't hold back his laugh.

He started laughing so hard he doubled over.

Emma yelled from the den, "Daddy! You is too loud laffin!"

Nick couldn't say another word, he just shook his head and apologized to Trista as best he could before mouthing discretely to her "hung like a horse?" and grimaced his face with disgust.

"Would you two just go out already…just get out of here," she said patting the front of her shirt with the towel and walking away from them to the den, where she sat down next to Emma.

As Trista and Emma chatted about Little Bear, a subject that Trista knew was sure to be a safe one, Nick and Jules talked to each other quietly in the kitchen.

Jules put her yogurt on the counter and spun around to face Nick.

"I cannot believe you just spit a mouthful of water in her face!" she whispered smirking herself, "you are so disgusting!"

Nick shrugged. "It was an accident…be happy I didn't choke to death!" he smiled and wrapped his hands around her waist.

Nick needed to change the subject fast. He was afraid she would tell him about that "mystery man" she was referring to. And so, he directed their conversation back to their daughter's behavior.

"That was weird, huh?" Nick said to Jules about Emma.

"What, with Trista?" she asked.

"No, with our daughter, what the hell was that about? The little shit squirted me with apple juice," he laughed softly.

Jules laughed softly with him. "She has a temper like her father."

"What! You mean like her mother!" he laughed and pressed his face into her neck, taking in her scent.

Jules soaked in the feeling of Nick's hands around her and his face so close to hers.

"I think you handled it well, we just have to get tougher with her if she thinks she is gonna act like that."

"Mmmhmm," he growled into her neck.

"I'll miss you tonight, Cowboy," she whispered and stroked his hair.

"Yeah? How much?" he grinned although she couldn't see him since his face was still in her neck.

"Very, very much," she smiled and grabbed his ass with both hands.

"Mmmm," he groaned louder, "will you wear my shirt to bed again tonight and let me see you in it in the morning?" he mumbled into her neck.

"Definitely," she smiled as he brought his forehead to hers.

"I gotta stop talking about it, Sunshine, because I can't stand it, you know that," he pulled his head back to face her and then kissed her softly.

"Yep, I know, Cowboy, I know," she grinned, "You ready to go?"

"I am always ready, Sunshine," he whispered and then winked.


	107. A Love to Remember

I do not own Nick Stokes or CSI.

Rated K

**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:**

**This is it. The final Chapter. **

**This story took on a life of it's own and got way too long.**

**It is time to close this chapter of their life.**

**Are you are ready to embark on their new journey with them?**

**If so, then you will get your wish. **

**Another story will follow but it will NOT be as long.**

**So, enjoy this read and keep your eyes peeled. **

**I won't leave you hanging…you will learn more about the Stokes and those new babies soon…I promise.**

**

* * *

**

She couldn't ask for a better night to share with him. It was absolutely perfect. As they walked hand and hand together down the pier he looked over at her and smiled. Not just a small smile, or a closed mouth smile, but a smile that Jules knew well. She knew it because it was that smile that could make tingles roll through her body. It was the Nick Stokes' smile that she fell in love with from the first night she ever laid eyes at him.

Jules thought about how she had leaned against the bar while she waited for her drink. She was intensely scanning the area to see if she could find her brother. She knew Warrick would be there; one of her friends had tipped her off. She knew she was about to blow his mind when he saw her actually standing in the same room with him. She knew he would never in a million years expect it. But what _**she **_didn't expect was to look down the bar and make eye contact with a man with deep brown eyes and that smile.

Jules swallowed hard just thinking about it. Remembering how her body froze when their eyes met, and she couldn't look away. And it was while they stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity that Nick managed to break the magnetism with that wide smile. She always wondered if had he not smiled at that moment, if she would have remained in that trance all night.

And now, here he was, holding her hand and smiling that same wide smile, that showed his white teeth and deep dimples. Except this time, he wasn't a stranger ordering a round of drinks at the bar. He wasn't the unknown man with the dark hair and the mesmerizing eyes. He was her husband, her best friend, and the father of her children. He was her knight in shining armor and she loved him more than life itself.

"Why are you staring at me like that, Babe?" he chuckled as he asked.

"Oh," she said surprised that she had been staring at him the whole time she remembered that first night.

He had her in a trance yet again, even after all these years. Jules moved closer to him and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they walked to the rail at the end of the pier.

"Well, why were you staring at me like that?" he asked again curiously.

"I was…well, when you smiled…it," she stammered.

"When I smiled?" he said moving into his favorite position.

Nick stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her until his hands were resting on her belly. He made a point to stick his face into her hair and inhale her scent as he questioned her about her stare.

"Yes, when you smiled," she chuckled from his breathing that was tickling her neck, "Your smile…it was so happy."

"Yeah? And that made you stare at me like that?"

"Uh huh, because I love that smile. And then I remembered how it was that smile I saw across the bar at Club Taboo," she admitted, "And I was staring at you because at that moment it was like I just had it all flash in front of me. How I felt when our eyes locked that night."

"That was some night, wasn't it, Baby?" he whispered.

"Who would have ever guessed?" she smiled.

"You're telling' me? When I saw you wrap your arms around Warrick, I thought for sure it was over for me. There you were, the girl I saw at the bar, that little, blonde beauty that took my breath away...you had already been taken…by my best friend."

"See, ya can never just assume, Cowboy," she laughed and looked out into the water.

"Assume? Well, come on, Darlin', ya gotta give me that one! The way you two hugged it was either two people in love or a family reunion! And let's face it, who in their right mind would ever expect you two to be brother and sister…the color was a little off, dontcha think?" he laughed.

"No, I think our coloring is perfect," she laughed back.

"How about Sanders just coming right out with what we were all already thinking!" Nick laughed.

"Yeah, he just blurted it right out there…'Um, your white!'" she repeated what Greg had said that night.

Nick and Jules laughed at their memories.

They could hear the crickets chirping as they stayed silent for a moment relishing in their memories. The night sounds were silenced when she reminded Nick of their times on the pier.

"We spent a lot of nights on this pier," Jules sighed.

"Yea, we did. Most of the time trying to hide from your brother," Nick said and walked to the side of her and leaned against the rail.

Jules nodded remembering.

"Yeah, we couldn't go anywhere without getting caught somehow," she added.

"He was determined to keep us apart... such an asshole," Nick laughed.

"Hey, he was just looking out for me…you were a dirty dog, ya know," she raised her eyebrows with assurance.

"Nah, I just liked my freedom and …"

"…and you liked the ladies!" she added before he said anything else.

"I did…but I told both of you...the day I met you changed it all. I mean, I was so freakin' infatuated with you that I would actually pray you would come visit him at the lab. When we would go out to the bars, I would watch you like a hawk. You never even noticed. Oh and bowling! Ha! You had no idea how much my palms would sweat. I always worried there would be wet splotches on my ball and someone would wonder why!"

The two of them laughed.

Jules looked at him.

"And then…" she said slowly, "and then you caught me crying."

"Uh huh, and took a few good jabs from you," he smirked.

Jules chuckled slightly remembering pushing him in the chest before she gave in to his embrace.

"See, Cowboy, maybe that woman did me a favor after all," she walked in front of him and wrapped her arms around his body, resting her cheek on his chest.

"What woman?"

"Jolene Parker," she said flatly.

"HER?" said with disgust.

"Yeah, if Warrick didn't tell me that night that she was back in town then I never would have been so upset and left my keys in his pocket. I would never have gone to pieces when I was locked out and my car had a flat. And if I hadn't gone to pieces…"

"I wouldn't have found you," he kissed the top of her head.

"And you did…You found me and you rescued me," she smiled and looked up at him and into those chocolate brown eyes she could get lost in.

"I think that is the other way around, Sunshine," he leaned in and kissed her softly.

0000

The two of them stood alone together and kissed intimately like young lovers on that pier. They knew they were undeniable; they were destined to be only with each another. They were truly one of a kind.

A lot had happened to Jules and Nick throughout those years. They battled to be together, and had to overcome obstacles and hurdles along the way, but they managed to always find their way back to each other.

And here they were, several years later, with many obstacles behind them, about to embark on yet another journey that would include their daughter and the two little babies they made together.

Their life was about to change again. The three of them would now be five…just like that.

Nick and Jules had a lot to be thankful for, but they didn't even need to remind each other of that. It was already being felt in their kiss.

The two of them looked forward to their future. They knew they could get through anything as long as they were together…they proved it repeatedly. They also knew that whatever life had in store for them in the future… they would be okay. They were ready. They were happy to move on to the next chapter in their life…

They were each other's soul mates.

And they were…after all…

…written in the stars.


End file.
